Categorized Directory

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Search directory
  • Web crawlers
  • Collect data
  • Indexation
  • Bankroll

Categorized Directory

Header Banner

Categorized Directory

  • Home
  • Search directory
  • Web crawlers
  • Collect data
  • Indexation
  • Bankroll
Indexation
Home›Indexation›Ending homelessness tops Sohi’s wishes for surprise Alberta surplus

Ending homelessness tops Sohi’s wishes for surprise Alberta surplus

By Ed Robertson
July 2, 2022
0
0

Breadcrumb Links

  1. Policy

Publication date :

Jul 02, 2022 • 19 hours ago • 4 minute read • 6 comments

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi speaks after meeting with provincial government officials, including Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, to discuss crime and safety issues in Edmonton on May 31, 2022. Photo by Larry Wong /Postmedia

Content of the article

Alberta could end homelessness by using some of the province’s unexpected $3.9 billion year-end surplus, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.

Advertisement 2

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

The provincial government’s latest fiscal update for 2021-22, released on Tuesday, showed record resource revenues led to a balanced Alberta budget for the first time in seven years. The surplus represents a dramatic turnaround from when the original budget was tabled and when the government projected an $18.2 billion deficit.

This leaves plenty of ideas for what to do with the unexpected money.

In a Thursday interview with Postmedia, Sohi said it’s great news to see the province in better financial shape, but the need for supportive housing is the most pressing issue facing Edmonton.

The city has the lowest per capita support among municipalities that receive provincial funding to address homelessness, Sohi said, adding that he hopes the province fills that gap.

Advertisement 3

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“The province’s fiscal capacity is now very strong to invest in addressing the homelessness and addictions crisis we face in our city, and we would still have plenty of money for other provincial priorities,” did he declare. .

On Thursday, the city opened one of five new supportive housing sites designed with on-site services to help residents struggling with addictions, mental health issues and other issues.

A total of 210 permanent supportive housing units are expected to complete construction over the next six weeks. The bulk of the funding, $35.1 million, came from the federal government, $28.3 million came from the city, and the province invested $16.4 million in a venue.

Another 243 supportive housing units in three hotel conversion projects are also expected to open this year.

Advertisement 4

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

However, the latest provincial budget did not provide Edmonton with the requested $8.9 million annual operating funding to provide comprehensive supports, including counseling and treatment. That means the nonprofit Homeward Trust will have to cut other unspecified programs to make up for the shortfall, Sohi said.

The cost is also rising, with up to $19 million needed each year by 2024, he added.

“Our homeless population has doubled during the pandemic, and that support has not been adjusted over the past few years.”

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Jason Nixon said the surplus would be spent on things like bolstering the Heritage Savings Fund and paying down debt.

He warned that the government cannot overspend the windfall in order to stay prepared for the future when oil prices are not as high.

Advertisement 5

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“It’s incumbent on us right now to make sure that we use these resources strategically to help Albertans address these issues right now, particularly around inflation and affordability, but do it in a way that doesn’t not create problems for future governments when these oil and gas prices come back down,” he said.

Sohi acknowledged that resource revenues can be unpredictable, but suggested the province could consider creating an endowment fund that would generate revenue and help municipalities permanently invest in ending homelessness.

He didn’t provide any dollar estimates of what would be needed initially, but noted that investing in housing would result in “tremendous” savings in health care, the justice system and policing.

Advertising 6

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“Keeping people homeless costs more than actually investing in treatment, supportive housing and wraparound services,” he said.

Ralph Bucks 2.0?

The province’s windfall comes at a time when Albertans are facing dramatic increases in the cost of living, and the two are closely linked, said University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe.

“Critically, the exact same reason why inflation is so high is why the government’s budget has improved so much – and that’s the price of oil,” he said.

Similar to Ralph Bucks of 2006 – when Albertans received a one-time $400 check following an oil-fueled surplus – Tombe said today’s government may decide to spend some of its money extra money by writing checks to families to help cover inflationary costs.

Advertising 7

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Depending on their annual household income, Albertans pay about $200 to $600 per month more for goods and services due to inflation, Tombe said.

Tombe said $125 a month per family would help ease pain, especially for low-income families, and would be roughly in line with eliminating the GST.

He estimated that such a program would cost the government about $200 million a month, or about one-fifth of the additional, windfall monthly revenue the government receives.

“It’s simple, it can be done quickly, and it doesn’t distort market choices in the same way as, say, suspending the gas tax,” Tombe said.

Personal income tax relief

Others have long called on the UCP to roll back changes to personal taxes.

Advertising 8

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

In 2019, the UCP government suspended the indexation of personal income tax, which means that the ceiling on non-taxable income does not increase with inflation. At the time, the government estimated it would save $600 million over four years, through the end of the 2022-23 fiscal year.

The NDP and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) have called on the government to return to indexing personal income taxes.

The government has promised to resume indexation of the income tax system once it is on better financial footing.

CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano said Thursday with a $3.9 billion surplus that now was the perfect time to deliver while prioritizing debt repayment.

“To the credit of the government, it provided relief through a fuel tax reduction. That’s fine, but the government hasn’t done everything it can,” he said.

[email protected]

twitter.com/ashleyjoannou

[email protected]

twitter.com/reportrix

Share this article on your social network

Advertisement 1

This ad has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Edmonton Journal Logo

Sign up to receive daily headlines from the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

By clicking the subscribe button, you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thank you for your registration!

A welcome email is on the way. If you don’t see it, please check your spam folder.

The next issue of Edmonton Journal Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered a problem during your registration. Try Again

comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively yet civil discussion forum and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments can take up to an hour to be moderated before appearing on the site. We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications. You will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, if there is an update to a comment thread you follow, or if a user follows you comments. Visit our Community Rules for more information and details on how to adjust your E-mail settings.

Related posts:

  1. Circular debt – myth and reality
  2. USS and UK accused of failing to respond clearly to defined benefit reduction proposals
  3. Electric vehicle company Rivian could ask for a valuation of $ 70 billion when it goes public – Bloomberg News
  4. The repayment rate of the 1st tranche of sovereign bonds on gold is 80% higher than the issue price

Categories

  • Bankroll
  • Collect data
  • Indexation
  • Search directory
  • Web crawlers

Recent Posts

  • NOAA research vessel collects data for boating safety and coral preservation | New
  • Compliance Alert: IRS Releases Affordability Percentage Adjustment for 2023 | woodruff sawyer
  • Yoast SEO 19.5 update causes fatal errors
  • SEO for Animated GIFs – Practical Ecommerce
  • VSD and Department of Statistics collect data on chicken supply

Archives

  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions