alberta - staatsverschuldung - mehr hilfsbedürftige

hallo

die neue verschuldung von alberta hat ja auch was gutes - damit werden arbeitsplätze finanziert und das land "schöner"

die andere nachricht ist natürlich nicht lustig

Zitat

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Growing number of Albertans on welfare

More Albertans are claiming social assistance during the economic downturn, with about 30,000 people needing the most basic level of assistance to get by every month.

07/04/2009 11:20:47 AM

CBC News

The number of caseloads in the province jumped by about 4,000 in December alone.

"Certainly it reflects the economic downturn. It reflects that more people are experiencing layoffs and also people are probably seeing shorter working hours in their jobs," said Dorothy Schreiber, a spokeswoman for Alberta's employment department.

Jason Baranieski was going over the latest posting in a downtown Edmonton employment office recently, desperate to find a courier job. He is claiming welfare while he waits for the phone to ring.

"Gets me by. It pays the rent and pays the food — $765 is not very much, it just barely pays the bills," he said.

Provincial employment offices are offering free resumé writing, career advice and training to try to get people back in the workforce.

John Kolkman, a spokesman for the Edmonton Social Planning Council, said he is pleased people are getting help upgrading their skills, but finding work is still going to be a challenge.

"The job losses that are accompanying the economic downturn that we're currently in have really only begun. Things are likely to get significantly worse before they start to get better," he said.

Kolkman predicts caseloads will continue to rise so he is hoping to see more money in the provincial budget Tuesday for social assistance. . . . .

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Zitat

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Alberta forecasts $4.7B deficit

Alberta's fortunes took a dramatic turn Tuesday as the government introduced a budget with a $4.7-billion deficit, the province's first in 16 years and its largest ever, as it puts billions towards infrastructure funding and forecasts deficits through to 2012.

07/04/2009 10:43:32 PM

Finance Minister Iris Evans holds a copy of the budget before tabling it in the legislature in Edmonton on Tuesday. (CBC)

Finance Minister Iris Evans holds a copy of the budget before tabling it in the legislature in Edmonton on Tuesday.
(CBC)

CBC News

A total of $8.9 billion in deficits are projected for this fiscal year and the two following years, with a return to surpluses in the 2012-13 fiscal year, Finance Minister Iris Evans announced Tuesday as she tabled the budget in the legislature in Edmonton.

The projection for next year depends on the province finding another $2 billion when the budget is put together. If revenues don't increase, cuts may have to be made.

But in a pre-speech news conference, both Evans and Treasury Board President Lloyd Snelgrove said there have been no discussions about any cuts, wage concessions or new taxes — and they will continue to monitor the economic situation as the year progresses.

"We're going to have to be very open with Albertans," Snelgrove said. "We do our quarterly updates and we're going to show them as we go forward what our plans will be to address the dollars that we don't have."

Snelgrove said the province will likely sit down for discussions with Alberta's public sector unions.

"No question, when half our expenses are salary-related, that they have to be a big part in the go-forward if the financial situation worldwide and in Alberta continues to deteriorate," Snelgrove said, adding that the province will discuss any proposals with the unions to keep people working.

"I think it's important that we keep as many people working in Alberta as we can and I think unions, by and large, have the best interests of their members at stake."

Revenues from resources drop

Government revenues have declined 11 per cent to $31.7 billion, with expenses estimated at $36.4 billion. The revenue drop is mostly due to a decrease in the money the government makes from resources — an estimated 52 per cent dip in one year, the second-largest percentage fall the province has ever seen.

The government plans to spend $7.2 billion this fiscal year on infrastructure projects, such as health facilities, schools and roads, with total spending of $23.2 billion over the next three years. . . . .

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quelle

http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/Local/A...c=abc&date=True