Alberta Premier Redford says spending in budget won’t match population growth

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Alison Redford says spending in Thursday’s provincial budget will be so lean, it won’t even keep up with provincial growth.

Redford says her government would need to hike spending by four per cent over last year’s $41 billion just to keep up with population growth plus inflation.

Redford says that figure will be, in her words, “far below” that number.

However, the premier says that shortfall will not result in a subpar services or programs.

Redford says her government is reviewing all programs to find savings, and is streamlining and reallocating existing resources.

Lower oil prices are expected to cut by $6 billion the amount of resource revenue the province had hoped to take in for the 2013-14 fiscal year.