The Government of Alberta is predicting stormy skies ahead. Alberta’s 2025 Budget and Economic Outlook notes the stark shift in U.S. trade —in the form of tariffs—will put a damper on the 2025-26 outlook. Canada is expected to face an average of 10% tariffs on energy products and 15% tariffs on all other goods. Retaliatory tariffs are likely to follow, adding to the strain on Alberta’s economy. As a result, Alberta’s economic growth is projected to slow from 3% in 2024 to 1.8% in 2025 and 1.7% in 2026.
Given this economic backdrop, Alberta’s government is taking a cautious approach to Budget 2025 but it is still making strategic investments in tourism and sport, infrastructure and wildfire mitigation.
Tourism and Sport
- Continue to implement Higher Ground, Alberta’s Tourism Strategy and grow the province’s visitor economy to $25 billion in annual visitor expenditures by 2035.
- Implement the All-Season Resorts Act in support of the Tourism Strategy, streamline processes for tourism operators, and increase investor confidence.
- In 2025-26, $75.2 million is allocated to Travel Alberta to foster tourism growth and diversification and attract visitors from around the world.
Transportation & Economic Corridors
- $6 million in 2025-26 to complete the development of a Passenger Rail Master Plan, including a 15-year delivery plan to support passenger rail in Alberta.
Capital Plan
- $69 million over 3 years for Highway 40 grade widening between Grande Cache and Hinton.
- 208 million over three years for Highway 11 twinning from Red Deer west to Rocky Mountain House.
- $24 million over three years for Highway 1A Upgrade through Stoney First Nation.
Forestry and Parks
- Develop a Crown land recreation and conservation strategy to expand public access while protecting natural spaces, including a new Plan for Parks.
- Maintain or improve operations, recreation infrastructure and visitor experience in Alberta provincial parks and on public lands through capital investment, education, and compliance.
- In 2025-26, $83.5 million for Crown land recreation and maintenance, including refurbishing and building trails.
- In 2025-26, $95.2 million for to maintain Alberta Parks operations.
- In 2025-26, $30.7 million for wildfire mitigation initiatives.
- In 2025-26, $2.1 million to modernize wildfire applications.
Performance Metrics
- Public Lands Act applications processed within established service standards
- Target is 93% in 2025-26, rising to 99% in 2023-24.
- Satisfaction with the quality of services and facilities of Alberta Parks
- 85% satisfaction achieved in 2023-24.
- Target remains steady at 85% to 2027-28.
- Percentage of wildfires contained before 10 am the day following assessment
- In 2024, 86.27% of wildfires were contained in that timeframe.
- In 2025-26, the target is 95% and remains the same to 2027-28.
Capital Plan
- $2 million in 2025-26 for Canmore Nordic Centre Snowmaking System Replacement.
- $24 million over three years for Crown Land Trails.
- $5 million over three years for Kananaskis Area Trail Upgrades.
- $29 million over three years for new campgrounds development.
- $116 million over three years for Provincial Parks capital maintenance and renewal.