What is — and isn't — in the budget for Edmonton

Alberta's latest budget will see the province's capital city get money for highway projects, a new school and a new hospital — but it falls short on many items Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi hoped for.

Unveiled by Finance Minister Travis Toews on Tuesday, the Alberta government's latest budget continues to fund a number of ongoing projects, including the Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion, the new Edmonton hospital and the Terwillegar Drive expansion.

There are also new projects for Edmonton and central and northern Alberta.

But absent are many of the requests Sohi outlined in a publicly released letter to the premier last month — money for downtown revitalization, Commonwealth Stadium modernization, and a one-time payment to make up for a 2021 cut to Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding.

"As the capital of Alberta, we deserve the support that is necessary to build a great capital city," Sohi said Tuesday.

He said he did not receive an advanced copy of the budget, and would have more specific comments in the coming days.

"Every budget has politics attached to it … I look forward to engaging with the UCP, with NDP to understand what their vision for our city is."

Sohi had also asked for funding for climate resilience like planning and delivery for city infrastructure in the face of climate change.

Climate resilience projects are mentioned once within the budget, underneath the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction fund, but have no money allocated over the next three years.

Although not Edmonton-specific, affordable housing initiatives from the province see increases over the next three years: $202 million for the affordable housing partnership program, $68 million for the affordable housing strategy and $46 million for affordable and specialized housing.

Sohi said he is looking forward to meeting with the premier in early March, and said he will continue to stress upon equitable treatment for Edmonton.

New Edmonton projects

Around $6 million over three years has been allocated for the design of a new school in the Glenridding Heights neighbourhood of southwest Edmonton.

The capital plan has $372 million over three years for school design and construction, although the only new construction project explicitly named is for Valleyview, Alta.

Officials promise more details will be released in the future.

Edmonton Public Schools Board Chair Trisha Estabrooks said school boards will have a clearer picture of their funding in the coming days. She said she was glad to see spending in the sector after years of frozen education budgets.

"We have been asking for schools. We are at a crisis point, is what our infrastructure staff say to us. And so we need some new schools, and really looking forward to finally that message landing with this provincial government," she said Tuesday.

Announced Monday ahead of the budget, the government is earmarking $125 million in capital funding over four years to support the creation of a new school of business at MacEwan University.

The proposed building would be a seven-storey tower on the university's downtown campus boasting 35,000 square metres of additional space for classrooms, collaboration spaces and study spaces.

It promises to enable the university to have an additional 7,500 students in business and STEM. That's a significant jump — this year there were 12,500 full-time students at the campus.

For 2024-25, $63 million is being invested into continuing care modernization for Edmonton's Good Samaritan Society, which runs several facilities in the city.

The province is also setting aside $4 million in repairs and upgrades to the Citadel Theatre.

Central and northern Alberta

The budget includes previously-announced funding for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment plus $30 million in 2023-24 for an expansion of the Red Deer Regional Airport.

Highway 63 north of Fort McMurray is being allocated $117 million over three years for twinning. The budget says the project will improve access for oil sands resources and services, aiding economic activity.

Nearly $61 million is going to replace the Vinca Bridge in Sturgeon County.