On February 27, the Calgary Chamber hosted the Hon. Nate Horner, Alberta’s President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, for a discussion on Budget 2026, tabled the prior day.
Minister Horner opened by emphasizing the province’s commitment to maintaining economic stability and continuing to attract investment amid a difficult fiscal environment. With a $9.4 billion deficit, Budget 2026 prioritizes funding towards core services such as education, healthcare and critical infrastructure. Minister Horner highlighted the need for the province to “catch up” before they can widen the net and contribute towards long-term growth in other areas. He also shared that the Government’s role is to absorb the revenue volatility and deliver consistent services for Albertans, which entails deficits during difficult times and the discipline to save when commodity prices are favourable.
As Alberta’s population growth slows, Minister Horner is optimistic about Alberta’s growing GDP. He highlighted his interest in growing sectors, including aerospace and defense, which are an ongoing a priority for the province.
In the Minister’s fireside chat with Calgary Chamber President and CEO, Deborah Yedlin, key takeaways included:
- The importance of the Alberta-Ottawa Memorandum of Understanding on Alberta’s economic future and the need to continue working in collaboration with government and industry.
- The energy sector remains foundational to the province’s economy, primarily liquid natural gas (LNG).
- Our biggest opportunity for increasing energy production is new trade deals and accessing international markets, particularly in Asia.
- Post-secondary institutions remain a priority, which was reflected through key investments made in Budget 2026.
- The Government of Alberta is monitoring the current geopolitical situation to understand the impact on revenue, and working alongside the federal government to make regulatory changes that promote economic growth, thereby expanding the tax base.
The Calgary Chamber extends sincere thanks to presenting sponsor, CPA Alberta, thanking sponsor, Bow Valley College and supporting sponsors, Alberta Blue Cross, Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation, Intact Insurance and Oil Sands Alliance for their support of this event.
