Provincial Spending Update

By Alexa Briggs, CCVO Director, Policy & Research

If your nonprofit has been following the news or social media, you’ve likely seen some rumours of looming provincial cuts starting to swirl. The new provincial government is expected to release a budget in late October and speculation as to what it will hold has already begun. We have heard in traditional media, on social media, and directly from some organizations, that they are experiencing a “funding freeze”, ranging across sectors and issues, and is likely because there is only an interim supply budget currently in place.

We are still in a time of transition as the UCP finds its footing, and until it provides some certainty with the budget in October, we can all expect to experience the effects of a government that has committed to holding the line on, or potentially reducing, spending. This kind of approach isn’t necessarily unusual in a transition period and is being felt by many organizations in the nonprofit sector and elsewhere. The UCP government has appointed a panel to examine Alberta’s finances (focused particularly on spending). A report with their recommendations is due on August 15, which is expected to provide insights for what’s to come in the fall budget. CCVO will continue to track developments and will provide updates on the panel’s recommendations, as well as a provincial budget analysis when it is released in the fall.