The Provincial government is highlighting a total of nearly $5 billion in the budget for investments being made in the North.
Matt Jones, the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, says one part of that is $9 million over the next three years through the Northern and Regional Economic Development program.
“It’s to provide funding to northern municipalities, non-profits, and indigenous communities for projects that help support and retain businesses that will increase investment attraction. We’re also going to continue our investments in the Northern Alberta Development Bursary Program. Basically it provides bursaries to students who choose to live and work in the north in fields that are critical to the North’s success.”
Jones says there’s also $111 million in affordability and wage-top-up grants to child care operators in Northern Alberta.
He also says a number of investments are in the budget for health care and infrastructure.
“The $80 million over three years for the La Crete Maternity and Community Health Centre. Funding the completion of the expansion of Slave Lake’s EMS station. That’s just on the health care side. We need additional infrastructure in the North, particularly around highways. Paving Highway 58 and Highway 686. We’re really trying to respond to those unique needs of the North and there’s a lot in this budget to do just that.”
You can listen to the full interview below.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
