CALGARY — Alberta’s finance minister is set to hit the road today to discuss a new provincial budget that is big on spending but also carries an eye-popping deficit of more than $9 billion.

Nate Horner will discuss the budget with business leaders at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

Horner tabled the spending document Thursday, saying that while a rising population and low oil prices have put the squeeze on finances, it’s critical to keep spending and weather the storm.

The Opposition NDP says Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government has mismanaged the economy, wasting profits from the past oil boom while saddling future generations with debt.

The president of Alberta’s doctors association says the nearly six per cent increase in health-care spending is welcome news, while the Alberta Teachers’ Association says it hopes the province follows through on budgeted promises of more money.

The mayors of Alberta’s two biggest cities have differing views, with Calgary’s Jeromy Farkas taking issue with education property taxes going up while Edmonton’s Andrew Knack says he knows the hike is needed to properly pay for schools.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2026.

Dayne Patterson, The Canadian Press