Wildrose releases 12-point plan in hopes of spurring job creation

Alberta’s Official Opposition has its own ideas as to what the government could be doing in hopes of getting thousands of people back to work.

The Wildrose released its ‘Jobs Action Plan’ Tuesday morning, a twelve point plan they say is, “rooted in sound economic policy, and would cost little to implement.”

It believes the NDP government’s ideological policies have seriously undermined business and investor confidence in the province.

First and foremost, they’re calling on the province to lower the small business tax.

“Lowering the small business tax rate to 2 per cent would make Alberta even with Saskatchewan, put us just below British Columbia and leave us still higher than Manitoba – which did away with the small business tax altogether.”

They add the cost of this tax cut would be largely offset by scrapping the $178-million jobs subsidy program

The party also wants a 20 per cent reduction in the amount of red tape for industry and the implementation of a one-for-one rule on new regulations.

Officials believe the NDP government needs to delay the carbon tax pending an economic analysis.

“The government should reduce WCB premiums by 50 per cent for the first 100 employees in each business and eliminate premiums for new hires until the WCB’s surplus assets are drawn down to 114 per cent of their liabilities,” it goes on to say.

It suggests Alberta businesses have paid the WCB billions more than what’s needed to take care of injured workers.

Training, post-secondary education and skills also in their report, the Wildrose wants an investment in Alberta’s knowledge infrastructure and maximizing the use of existing knowledge infrastructure.

“The government should work with institutions on developing cost-effective strategies for opening more short-term spaces for those seeking to upgrade their skills while out of work, and aiding in publicizing the opportunities already available.”

They’re also looking for an increase to apprenticeship usage on government projects and for the government to make better use of existing federal programs such as the ‘Canada Job Grant.’

Party officials are also pushing for the government to empower local governments and economic development organizations to diversify the economy and spur job creation in their communities.

The final three recommendations they have, officials feel should provide stability for the province’s energy sector.

They want a delay to proposed electricity grid changes, a short term stimulus for the energy sector and they add the government should be aggressively lobbying the Trudeau government for pipelines.

“A strong Canadian economy depends in large part on a strong Albertan economy, and that means that Alberta must have pipeline access to tide water.”