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(Photo Credit: Government of Alberta)
By Nathaniel Leigh
Province

Province to invest nearly $5 billion in northern communities through Budget 2025

Mar 19, 2025 | 2:14 PM

The province has several investments planned for Northern Alberta communities if Budget 2025 passes.

The Government of Alberta is promising to invest $4.9 billion dollars between 2025 and 2026 to strengthen northern communities.

Notable investments include:

Jobs, Economy and Trade:

  • $9 million through the Northern and Regional Economic Development program to attract and train skilled professionals to grow and diversify northern economies
  • $111 million in wage-top-up grants to childcare operators in northern Alberta
  • $45 million allocated to the Investment and Growth Fund
  • $3 million in the Alberta Export Expansion program
  • $235 million to the Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit

Northern Development:

  • Development investments will aim to address issues like attraction, transportation, infrastructure and affordable housing

Education:

  • $225 million for Alberta school projects, including expanding Grande Prairie’s Composite High School and building a new St. Thomas More School in Fairview.

Health:

  • $15 million for eight new urgent care centres in northern communities like Cold Lake and Fort McMurray.

Transportation and Economic Corridors:

  • $1.25 billion to expand northern emergency routes

Advanced Education:

  • $1 million towards planning for the skilled trades expansion at Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie
  • Almost $9 million for capital maintenance and renewal projects at several northern Alberta post-secondary institutions.

The province says in a release that Budget 2025 is meeting the challenges faced by Alberta communities with investments in education, health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

by Nathaniel Leigh