Danielle Smith's UCP wins: Here's what they're promising

Danielle Smith and her United Conservative Party (UCP) will hang onto power for another four years, winning the Alberta provincial election Monday night. Here’s what they’re promising.

Smith is projected to have a majority government, per CBC News and Global Edmonton.

We broke down the UCP’s platform into five key areas to help you better understand what’s in store for the next four years. Categories include healthcare, education, crime, the environment, and affordability/cost of living.

Healthcare

Alberta Health Services

UCP: The UCP’s plan involves enhancing healthcare for women and children by expanding newborn screening, providing support for children with complex needs, improving women’s healthcare access, supporting women’s health research and advocacy, and ensuring access to publicly funded healthcare without out-of-pocket expenses.

Promises include:

• Expanding newborn screening to include testing for five additional diseases and conditions.
• Allocating $5 million for testing and educational support for children with autism and other complex needs.
• Investing $10 million to develop a province-wide midwives strategy.
• Increase the number of obstetrics doctors, including in rural and mid-sized cities.
• Reducing pressure on obstetrics, emergency rooms, and primary care, particularly in rural areas.
• Promising not to delist any currently covered health services.
• Providing a $10 million legacy grant to the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation.
• Committing to no out-of-pocket expenses for seeing a family doctor or receiving necessary medical treatment.
• Supporting research into cervical cancer, heart disease, and other women’s health matters.
• Focusing on “advancing and innovating Alberta’s healthcare system.”

Education

Edmonton Public Schools

UCP: The UCP’s plan aims to help high school students prepare for well-paying jobs in high-demand fields. This will include funding for Career and Technology and expanding Mobile CTS/Career and Technology Foundation programs in rural school boards.

Other promises include:

• Plans to implement measures recommended by the Career Education Task Force.
• Partner with industry and youth organizations to organize career fairs focused on tech, manufacturing, construction, trades, energy, and health sectors.
• Teacher training opportunities will be developed and funded for career and technology studies.
• Increase access to off-campus education opportunities.

You might also like:
• Lacombe-Ponoka elects candidate that compared trans kids to feces
• Votes are being counted so slowly in Alberta and people are getting tired
• UCP’s Danielle Smith remains Alberta premier in win over Notley’s NDP

Public safety

Calgary Police Service

UCP: The UCP plans to address public safety concerns through its Safe Streets Action Plan. This includes a promise to add 100 police officers in Calgary and Edmonton to address crime issues in downtown areas and public transit and extend the downtown sheriff redeployment program.

Other promises include:

• Use ankle bracelet monitoring for violent and/or sexual offenders on bail.
• Establish a 24/7 electronic monitoring program for possible violent re-offenders on bail, and expand the use of sheriffs in the 24/7 bail monitoring process.
• Allocate $10 million for women’s shelters and $10 million for sexual assault counselling/centers over the next four years.
• Increase the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) funding to address gang violence, expand the Cyber Crime Unit and Provincial DNA lab, and monitor scrap metal dealers and gang connections.
• Form specialized Sheriff-led teams to combat fentanyl and illegal gun trafficking.
• Increase support for Internet and Child Exploitation (ICE) teams.
• Inform the public about Clare’s Law, enabling individuals to learn about their partner’s history of domestic assault or sex crimes.
• Fund an engagement team for education and outreach.

Environment

Invisible Witness/Shutterstock

UCP: The UCP does not have any new policy plans regarding the environment in its platform, but a section on its website touts actions the party has taken while in government. This includes initiatives including caribou recovery, carbon capture, and other emissions reduction strategies through “Made in Alberta” policies to manage Alberta’s environment and natural resources.

Cost of living

Kamil Zajaczkowski/Shutterstock

UCP: The UCP plans to address affordability by promising not to increase personal income taxes if re-elected and will cut taxes by creating a new 8% bracket on income under $60,000. Additionally, the UCP would ensure all Albertans have access to $10/day childcare by 2026. They also promise to create 11,063 childcare spaces across Alberta.