alberta election 2023 live: voting information for people displaced by fires | lukewarm support for arena deal | thumbs down on alberta pension plan
watch this page throughout the day for updates from the 2023 alberta election campaign
17 minute read
the downtown calgary skyline is shown looking east on thursday, february 16, 2023.
jim wells
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postmedia
what’s happening now
- a leger poll conducted for postmedia shows little support for a made-in-alberta pension plan.
- voters are not impressed with provincial funding for a new calgary arena, according to a recent poll.
- teachers are demanding that the parties make overcrowded classrooms an election issue.
- the ndp is claiming continued job losses in the province show the ucp’s plan is “failing albertans”.
- danielle smith said friday she won’t campaign on sovereignty legislation, provincial police or the alberta pension plan.
- rachel notley and danielle smith separately pitched their visions for alberta to undecided voters, who make up more than a fifth of voters according to a new poll.
- a snapshot of public opinion shows albertans perceive rachel notley to be more honest, transparent, and trustworthy compared to danielle smith.
- the ucp has unveiled its plan for alberta’s economy and how it will aim to create more jobs.
- a significant number of ridings will be in play on may 29. here are five in calgary and southern alberta to watch, as well as six in edmonton.
5:32 p.m.
elections alberta provides voting guidance for those displaced by wildfires
a column of smoke rises from a wildfire near lodgepole, west of drayton valley, on thursday.
alberta wildfire
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via reuters
elections alberta released voting information friday for people who’ve been forced to flee their homes due to several wildfires ripping through the province.
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an albert elections webpage shared by the office of the chief electoral officer says voters can request a special ballot package to be mailed to their local returning office or at elections alberta.
“starting today, the chief electoral officer has authorized an additional reason to vote by special ballot, so that those individuals that have been displaced by an emergency or disaster can take advantage of this voting option,” said a statement from the office of the chief electoral officer.
voters can also take advantage of advance voting, which allows them to vote from anywhere in the province from may 23-27.
4 p.m.
ucp’s made-in-alberta pension plan isn’t catching fire with voters: poll
ucp leader premier danielle smith launches her election campaign in auburn bay in southeast calgary on may. 1.
azin ghaffari/postmedia
the idea of an alberta pension plan may be dead before it gets off the ground.
after becoming premier, ucp leader danielle smith had finance minister travis toews look into pulling out of the canadian pension plan in favour of a provincial plan, but it’s an idea that has little public support, according to a leger poll for postmedia.
the survey of about 1,000 albertans from across the province indicated only 21 per cent were in favour of a home-baked retirement plan, including just 33 per cent of people identifying as ucp supporters.
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3 p.m.
voters not impressed with $330 million in provincial funding for calgary arena: poll
premier danielle smith, second from right, and mayor jyoti gondek, right, at the announcement of a new arena deal for calgary.
azin ghaffari
/
postmedia network
ucp leader danielle smith’s attempt at scoring big in the battle for alberta with big bucks for calgary’s proposed new event centre is failing to score with voters.
the $330-million commitment made the week before the writ dropped has only attracted 37 per cent support across the province, according to a poll done by leger for postmedia. forty-nine per cent of albertans surveyed were opposed, while 14 per cent were undecided.
2 p.m.
teachers demand ucp, ndp make classroom sizes an election issue
flanked by teachers, jason schilling, president of the alberta teachers’ association, speaks to media in calgary on friday.
jim wells/postmedia
standing below a billboard attached with rows of tightly-packed chairs, alberta teachers gathered in calgary friday demanding a new government address growing class sizes and complexities as the provincial election ramps up.
“too many of our classrooms are overcrowded, and our students are just not getting the attention and supports that they require, and that they deserve,” said jason schilling, president of the alberta teachers’ association which released a five-point election platform friday.
karlee hren, who teaches grade 5 in edmonton, said she has 29 students in her classroom, and struggles to give many of them the attention they need, particularly those with special needs.
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12:04 p.m.
ndp claims job losses show ucp plan ‘failing albertans’
calgary-foothills ndp candidate court ellingson speaks at a press conference on university of calgary campus on thursday, april 27, 2023.
azin ghaffari/postmedia
the ndp published a press release on friday claiming the ucp’s plan is failing as job losses stack up in the province.
in the release, the ndp said alberta lost 1,900 jobs in april, according to statistics canada, driving the unemployment rate to 5.9 per cent.
“albertans are struggling to keep food on the table and the lights on. rather than helping, the ucp declared economic diversification a luxury,” said court ellingson, alberta ndp candidate for calgary-foothills. “alberta’s ndp will take action to restore our competitiveness, attract investment, build a resilient economy and create good-paying jobs, now, and for future generations.”
while calgary’s unemployment rate dropped slightly, it was still the second highest in canada, the release added. additionally, the ndp said, calgary continues to struggle with the “highest downtown vacancy rate in the country,” adding it carries the highest downtown office vacancy rate in the country.
the ndp pointed to a recent business council of alberta study that said capital investment in the province isn’t at the level of energy sector investment that would typically come during high oil prices. the party also referenced an alberta central report that said the alberta advantage is “melting away” under the ucp due to wages not keeping pace with inflation, and albertans losing the most purchasing power in the country since 2019.
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“the ucp is failing alberta families. they promised to fill the office towers in downtown calgary, but they failed. in their first budget, the ucp declared economic diversification a luxury and cut programs that were working,” ellingson said. “an alberta ndp government will revitalize downtown calgary and create tens of thousands of good-paying industrial jobs across the province.”
10:26 a.m.
smith says she won’t campaign on sovereignty legislation, provincial police, alberta pension plan
ucp leader danielle smith makes a campaign announcement at braeside automotive in calgary on thursday.
gavin young/postmedia
united conservative leader danielle smith says she won’t be campaigning on some of her party’s more contentious ideas — sovereignty legislation, a provincial police force and an alberta pension plan — ahead of the may 29 election.
smith was interviewed on global’s morning show in calgary on friday and fielded a variety of questions on revitalizing the city’s downtown, public safety and health care.
smith, after she became premier last year, introduced the sovereignty act as centrepiece legislation to pursue a more confrontational approach with the federal government on issues deemed to be an overreach in provincial areas of responsibility.
smith has also had her ministers looking into replacing the rcmp with a provincial police service, setting up a provincial revenue agency and leaving the canada pension plan.
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8:25 a.m.
where the leaders are today
- ucp leader danielle smith made television appearances friday morning. she’s to spend the rest of the day working the phones with volunteers and campaigning door-to-door.
- on ndp leader rachel notley’s agenda is an education announcement in the morning, followed by an event with volunteers in southeast calgary in the afternoon.
may 4
ucp faces questions on how it did the math in attack on ndp electricity plan
alberta premier danielle smith speaks during a press conference marking the beginning of the 2023 provincial election on may 1.
azin ghaffari
/
postmedia
danielle smith’s united conservatives are at odds with their own third-party consultant over their claim that the ndp plan to move alberta’s electricity grid to net zero would result in an economy-busting $87-billion hit to taxpayers.
vancouver-based navius research, in a statement thursday, disputed how the ucp is using its figures, saying it “is not a fair representation of the costs.”
smith, however, told reporters in calgary that the ucp stands by the number, saying: “no, we don’t need to issue a correction.”
the dispute stems from the ucp’s first major policy attack on the ndp ahead of the may 29 election.
may 4
smith, notley offer generalities in response to question about pacey dumas case
pacey dumas speaks to media on april 28, 2023, days after learning a police officer who kicked him in the head would not face charges.
greg southam
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postmedia
neither of alberta’s major party leaders addressed specifics when asked on the campaign trail about a controversial decision in a police use-of-force case.
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ucp leader danielle smith and ndp leader rachel notley took questions from reporters during campaign stops in calgary thursday.
among the questions the leaders faced was an inquiry about the case of pacey dumas, an indigenous man who lost a section of his skull after being kicked in the head by an edmonton police service officer.
may 4
notley, smith make their pitches to undecided voters on day 4
ucp leader danielle smith makes a campaign announcement at braeside automotive in calgary on may 4.
gavin young/postmedia
alberta’s main party leaders tried to reach across the aisle thursday, seeking to court support from beyond their bases.
speaking in downtown calgary, ndp leader rachel notley directed her message at those who previously have voted conservative or are undecided heading into the may 29 provincial election.
meanwhile, speaking to reporters in calgary’s southwest earlier in the day, ucp leader danielle smith said ndp supporters and particularly union workers should switch their vote to the ucp, pointing to her new jobs policy announced thursday.
“i would think that any union member who had been considering voting for the ndp should think twice,” said smith.
a substantial number of alberta voters remain undecided, according to new polling data from leger for postmedia.
that web survey of 1,000 albertans, conducted from april 28 to may 1, found more than one-in-five respondents hadn’t settled on who they’d prefer as premier.
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2:20 p.m.
leger poll shows notley perceived as more trustworthy leader, but smith’s ucp closing party support gap
danielle smith and rachel notley in calgary at the beginning of the 2023 alberta provincial election on may 1.
azin ghaffari and gavin young
/
postmedia
albertans perceive ndp leader rachel notley to be more honest, transparent, and trustworthy compared to ucp leader danielle smith, according to a new leger poll that also shows the race between the two parties remains tight amid the opening week of the campaign.
when asked who was the most honest and transparent leader, the poll found 37 per cent favoured notley to 23 per cent who favoured smith.
similarly, 38 per cent indicated notley was the most trustworthy leader compared to 28 per cent for smith.
twenty-nine per cent of respondents said they didn’t know in response to both questions.
may 4
watch: party leaders on campaign trail in calgary
- ucp leader danielle smith made an announcement on jobs and the economy.
- ndp leader rachel notley is reaching out to first-time, undecided voters.
may 4
ndp courts first-time, undecided voters
alberta ndp leader rachel notley speaks in calgary on may 4. notley held a press conference at mcdougall centre in downtown calgary.
jim wells/postmedia
ndp leader rachel notley on thursday pitched herself to first-time voters, going after ucp leader danielle smith who she says “has abandoned the values of the progressive conservatives.”
“you have every right to be concerned about the positions my opponent has taken on a number of fronts,” she said.
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notley reiterated several campaign pledges such as running a balanced budget, citing her commitment to taking all recommendations from former atb chief economist todd hirsch, whom the ndp enlisted in 2022 as an adviser. fixing the amount of resource revenues earmarked for budgeting purposes is one of hirsch’s key recommendations.
she also made note of the ndp’s commitment to creating 47,000 industrial jobs.
notley also promised to repeal danielle smith’s trademark sovereignty act.
“we cannot make progress … through meaningless pieces of legislation like the sovereignty act, which puts political games ahead of attracting global investment.”
may 4
ucp unveils jobs, economy plan
ucp leader danielle smith makes a campaign announcement at braeside automotive in calgary on thursday, may 4, 2023.
gavin young/postmedia
ucp leader danielle smith on thursday unveiled her party’s plan to grow the economy, create jobs and move the “province and families forward.”
a re-elected ucp government would implement the alberta job growth and diversification strategy, she said in a press release, which would expand the province’s existing strengths to create quality jobs and attract skilled workers and graduates.
“over the past four years, alberta has welcomed billions of investment dollars in film and television, venture capital, energy, agriculture, aviation, manufacturing, and more,” said smith in the release. “with the alberta job growth and diversification strategy, a re-elected ucp government will continue eliminating barriers for skilled workers, encouraging more investment, creating jobs, and keeping our economy moving forward.”
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to meet labour demands, the ucp would aim to continue attracting and retaining skilled workers through the alberta is calling signing bonus, the graduation retention tax credit and increased auto-credentialing for in-demand professions.
“we’ve made smart decisions to grow our workforce, from the alberta is calling campaign, to funding thousands more seats in high-demand programs at alberta’s post-secondary institutions,” smith added. “unlike rachel notley’s ndp, united conservatives believe in alberta and believe our province is a land of opportunity for families and for job creators. more and more people agree with us that alberta is the best place to be to live, work, and raise a family.”
additionally, the ucp plans to double the alberta indigenous opportunities corp. loan capacity to $2 billion and further expand the types of projects eligible. it would also, according to the release, expand the agri-processing investment tax credit to forestry and other areas, develop programs similar to the alberta petrochemical incentive program for more capital-intensive technologies, and expand the feeder assistance loan guarantee to $3 million.
for investments under $50 million, the ucp would utilize the newly expanded regional economic development alliances to “lead government’s concierge and wayfinding services.”
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“rachel notley and the ndp raised taxes on businesses, sending investment fleeing away from the province and jobs along with them and she’s said she would do it again,” concluded smith. “albertans cannot afford to put the province’s growth and diversification at risk and go backwards with the investment and job-crushing policies of the ndp. that’s why we’re building on opportunities for albertans that will create and attract jobs, diversify our economy, and move alberta forward.”
may 4
researcher clarifies study results cited by ucp in attack on ndp’s promise for net-zero electrical grid
fort mcmurray-lac la biche ucp candidate brian jean, left, and calgary-shaw ucp candidate rebecca schulz hold a calgary news conference where they questioned ndp energy policy on wednesday, may 3, 2023.
gavin young
/
postmedia
navius research, the publisher of a report cited by ucp candidates claiming the ndp’s net-zero grid promise is the “most expensive in alberta history,” has come out to “set the record straight” with some of its findings.
the research consultancy said in a twitter thread it estimated the macroeconomic cost of achieving net zero in alberta’s electricity sector.
“we relied on the aeso (alberta electric system operator) for an estimate of the investment required to decarbonize this sector and were asked to look at the macroeconomic impacts of this investment,” the company said on twitter. “it’s important to acknowledge that reducing emissions will likely come at a cost. in this case, reaching net zero in the electricity sector leads to a cumulative gdp impact of $35 billion from 2020-2040. for context, this represents a reduction in annual gdp growth of ~0.03%.”
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navius research added the $35 billion mentioned already accounts for, and is not additive to, the investment estimated in the aeso report.
“the cost to alberta’s economy reported in the media today is more than double what our model suggests it will be.”
the ucp took to twitter also to clarify points of the report.
“navius research has asked us to describe the issue this way: spending $52b (2022 cad) as aeso identifies to decarbonize the electricity sector between now and 2040 results in a cumulative reduction in alberta’s gdp of about $35b in 2015 cad real dollars.”
on wednesday, ucp candidates brian jean and rebecca schulz presented two reports that say ndp leader rachel notley’s plan to mandate a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 is “not only unrealistic, but the most expensive promise in alberta political history.”
a ucp press release said the plan means alberta will need to shut down or retrofit most of its natural gas power plants that generate the vast majority of electricity for the province. the release added the reports, published by navius research and the alberta electric system operator respectively, show it would cost alberta’s economy and ratepayers around $87 billion to implement, and could see power bills for families and businesses go up by 40 per cent “more than they otherwise would.”
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“never has a politician committed to a policy that would cost this much to implement,” jean said in the release. “this is not only unrealistic, but it is dangerous to the long-term health and viability of our economy. everyone from moms and dads to business owners to farmers would bear the brunt of this reckless policy commitment that comes straight from the desk of justin trudeau. albertans everywhere should be very concerned about rachel notley’s decision to sign on to justin trudeau’s 2035 target.”
may 3
ucp, smith campaign dogged by pawlowski guilty verdict
alberta premier danielle smith speaks during a press conference marking the beginning of the 2023 provincial election on may 1.
azin ghaffari/postmedia
ucp leader danielle smith’s association with convicted calgary street pastor continued to dog her on the campaign trail wednesday.
smith, speaking on radio station qr calgary — her first media appearance since the ruling was rendered on tuesday — said she does not comment on individual cases.
while in the premier’s office, smith had an 11-minute phone call with artur pawlowski in which she promised to make inquiries to alberta crown prosecutors on his behalf. pawlowski on tuesday was found guilty of mischief and breaching a release order. he had been charged for his role in the coutts blockade in protest of covid-19 restrictions, including a speech at the protest which played a role in the prolonging of the blockade by another two weeks and incited violence against police officers.
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may 3
election 2023: five ridings to watch in calgary and southern alberta
file photo: pictured is calgary skyline under a moody cloudy sky on monday, september 7, 2020.
azin ghaffari/postmedia
albertans will vote on may 29 to send representatives to the legislature in 87 ridings across the province. but some of those battles bring more intrigue — and a greater chance for surprise results, unseated incumbents and election-day upsets.
a significant number of ridings will be in play, as the ucp and ndp scrap to win the 44 seats they’ll need to secure the ability to form a majority government.
here are five seats in calgary and elsewhere in southern alberta to keep an eye on over the next four weeks, as rachel notley’s ndp fights to flip several seats in the region currently belonging to danielle smith and the ucp.
may 3
alberta election 2023: the edmonton area ridings to watch
recent polls have put the ndp and ucp in a statistical tie, meaning parties won’t be able to take any support for granted.
ian kucerak
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postmedia
most analysts project the upcoming may 29 provincial election will come down to calgary, but of the ten closest races in the 2019 election, six of them were in the metro edmonton area.
that includes four within the city itself, and three have no incumbent in this year’s race.
recent polls have put the ndp and ucp in a statistical tie, meaning parties won’t be able to take any support for granted.
here’s a look at six edmonton-area ridings to watch ahead of election night.
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may 3
ucp says notley’s net-zero grid promise ‘the most expensive in alberta history’
fort mcmurray-lac la biche ucp candidate brian jean and calgary-shaw ucp candidate rebecca schulz leave a calgary press conference on wednesday, may 3, 2023, where they questioned ndp energy policy.
gavin young/postmedia
ucp candidates brian jean and rebecca schulz on wednesday presented two reports that say ndp leader rachel notley’s plan to mandate a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 is “not only unrealistic, but the most expensive promise in alberta political history.”
a ucp press release said the plan means alberta will need to shut down or retrofit most of its natural gas power plants that generate the vast majority of electricity for the province.
the release added the reports, published by navius research and the alberta electric system operator respectively, show it would cost alberta’s economy and ratepayers around $87 billion to implement, and could see power bills for families and businesses go up by 40 per cent “more than they otherwise would.”
“never has a politician committed to a policy that would cost this much to implement,” jean said in the release. “this is not only unrealistic, but it is dangerous to the long-term health and viability of our economy. everyone from moms and dads to business owners to farmers would bear the brunt of this reckless policy commitment that comes straight from the desk of justin trudeau. albertans everywhere should be very concerned about rachel notley’s decision to sign on to justin trudeau’s 2035 target.”
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asked about the ucp comments, notley told reporters she questioned the accuracy of one of the studies cited by her opponents, calling it “flawed.”
“the study that they are talking about, overestimates the cost of renewable energy, in some cases by 100 per cent,” she said. “the study that they are basing their numbers on fail fails to take into account the opportunities that come from technological innovation opportunities that industry themselves are saying that they can use.”
may 3
notley releases plan for good-paying jobs in alberta
alberta ndp leader rachel notley speaks during the report to community event at telus convention centre in downtown calgary on tuesday, april 18, 2023.
azin ghaffari/postmedia
ndp leader rachel notley announced today a plan to attract $20 billion in private-sector capital investment and create 47,000 jobs.
the plan centres around the creation of the alberta’s future tax credit to “spur investment in cleantech, carbon materials critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing.”
the ndp also plans to expand the alberta petrochemical incentive program to include eligible feedstocks and final products, and also to bring partial upgrading back into the program “after the ucp removed it.”
“our energy sector has provided good jobs and prosperity for our province for generations, but we aren’t seeing the benefits of oil price booms of the past. investment has flatlined and wages have stagnated. we need to keep looking ahead to the future and continue moving our economy forward, while building on our strengths,” said notley. “we need to take the next step forward. we need bold and innovative ideas that create those good-paying industrial jobs. today is about jobs for the future, jobs that pay the bills.”
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the ndp will also invest $18 million into union-led training facilities ensuring more workers have access to high-quality skills and safety training for industrial jobs.
in addition, the ndp plans to consult on the expansion of the alberta indigenous opportunities corporation to include other sectors.
“alberta is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the future economy. we are blessed with abundant natural resources, a highly-skilled workforce, and an entrepreneurial spirit. with the right policies in place, we can address the challenges of today and set us down the path to prosperity,” said taneen rudyk, alberta ndp candidate for fort saskatchewan-vegreville.
may 3
‘we need legislation’: musician corb lund wants strong stance against coal mines in alberta election
singer corb lund, centre, sings on land proposed for coal mine development in the eastern slopes of the livingstone range south west of longview, alta., on june 16, 2021.
jeff mcintosh
as albertans begin what could be a bitter and divisive provincial election campaign, one of the province’s most popular musicians wants to remind them of an issue that brought everyone together a couple of years ago.
“all candidates should be unanimous in saying they’ll enact strong legislation to protect anywhere in the rockies from any coal mines, period,” said corb lund.
“that’s what albertans want.”
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lund was one of the most prominent opponents of coal mining after the united conservative party government revoked the policy that protected the eastern slopes.
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