Travis Toews shakes hands with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith after he was sworn into cabinet as president of Treasury Board and minister of finance in Edmonton on Oct. 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – Alberta’s finance minister says there will be legislation next month to re-index income tax brackets and benefit payments for seniors and people with disabilies.
But Travis Toews says action on proposed new health savings accounts won’t come until the spring budget.
Toews made the comments in an interview after Premier Danielle Smith released his mandate letter outlining goals and priorities for his department.
The letter directs Toews to help implement financial supports for Albertans dealing with high inflation while also keeping operational spending at or below the cost of inflation plus population growth.
Toews is also tasked with making a recommendation on having Alberta go it alone on a provincial pension plan and on creating an Alberta revenue agency to collect all taxes, including income tax.
Toews says work continues on both those files and that more information will be coming to Albertans on the feasibility of such ventures.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2022.
