- Alberta’s deficit is now projected to reach $6.5 billion this year, more than a billion dollars higher than what was forecast in the spring budget. Finance Minister Nate Horner attributed the worsening outlook to falling oil prices and uncertainty caused by US trade disputes, both of which continue to weigh heavily on Alberta’s resource-dependent economy. The Province’s debt has also climbed to $84.3 billion, while expenses have increased due to new labour agreements with public sector unions. Despite the worsening numbers, Horner said the government does not plan a drastic response but may set Ministry spending targets for the next budget. Alberta is also committed to implementing a $1-billion income tax cut, which will further reduce revenue. Deficits are expected to persist until at least 2027.
- Alberta has launched the new Alberta Wallet app, allowing residents to store government-issued documents digitally, starting with Canada's first mobile health card. Premier Danielle Smith said the app is designed to modernize services, making it faster and more convenient while keeping personal data private. The mobile card will function the same as the paper version and can be presented at hospitals, clinics, and other facilities. Parents and spouses will also be able to share health cards within the app. Future updates aim to include other documents like driver’s licences, permits, and certificates, with compatibility for Apple and Google Wallets in development. Technology Minister Nate Glubish stressed that the app is optional and built with strong encryption. In addition, Alberta plans to release a new integrated plastic identity card by 2026, combining the driver’s licence and health card into a single durable document. The Province says these steps will improve convenience, reduce misuse, and strengthen the health-care system.
- Premier Danielle Smith criticized the Edmonton Public School Board after it released a list of more than 200 books slated for removal under new provincial library rules. The list included widely respected titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale, The Color Purple, and The Great Gatsby, which Smith suggested was an act of “vicious compliance” rather than a good-faith response to the government’s directive. The new ministerial order, introduced by Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, requires schools to remove materials with explicit sexual content but allows exceptions for religious texts and non-graphic depictions. Smith said the intent was only to block sexually graphic books from elementary schools, not classics or acclaimed works, and offered to work with the Board to clarify the policy. Nicolaides said he would be seeking answers from the Board on how it compiled the list. Other school districts, including Calgary and Red Deer, are still reviewing titles, while Fort McMurray has so far only targeted the original four graphic novels that prompted the policy change.
- Speaking of schools, Alberta teachers could face a lockout as negotiations between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the provincial government remain at an impasse just before the school year begins. The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association has voted on a potential lockout, pending approval from the Labour Relations Board. The government has offered a 12% wage increase and the hiring of 3,000 additional teachers, citing the need for sustainable public-sector agreements. The ATA rejected the offer, claiming growing workloads, large class sizes, and insufficient support for teachers, and described the education system as being in crisis. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the union is politicizing the situation. No strike has been called yet, and schools are expected to open as planned.
- Alberta is exploring a potential investment in Japan's refining sector to expand its oil export markets beyond the United States. The Province is in early discussions with Japanese refiners about funding a coker unit, which would allow processing of Alberta’s heavy oilsands crude, currently incompatible with most Japanese facilities. This move would increase flows on the Trans Mountain pipeline and support Alberta’s push for a new export pipeline to the Pacific coast. While talks are preliminary and no agreement has been finalized, such a partnership could reduce Japan’s reliance on Middle Eastern oil and shipments through the South China Sea. Alberta has been actively promoting its oil in Asia, with China, the US West Coast, and South Korea emerging as major buyers since the Trans Mountain expansion.
- Speaking of energy, Alberta is exploring the possibility of developing a nuclear power industry and is seeking public feedback on the initiative. Premier Danielle Smith indicated that the private sector would ideally lead any nuclear projects, but the government is prepared to create a Crown corporation if necessary. A panel, chaired by Chantelle de Jonge, Parliamentary Secretary for Affordability and Utilities, has been established to gather input through an online survey until September 25th, and the government is also consulting Indigenous communities and requesting information from industry and local governments until October 25th. Engagement on the issue is expected to last about a year, and if there is sufficient interest, a nuclear plant could take up to a decade to materialize due to legislative, regulatory, and infrastructure requirements. Potential projects could include small modular reactors for oilsands operations or full-scale plants supplying the grid.