Alberta premier Rachel Notley, cabinet to talk budget, spending at Banff retreat

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and her cabinet are heading to the mountains this week to prepare for the budget and the spring legislature session.

Executive council members will be staying at the Juniper Hotel in Banff, with full-day working sessions set for Wednesday and Thursday.

Finance Minister Joe Ceci says they will discuss the budget and the plan to rein in spending as the economy continues to grow.

The government plans to outline how it will slay the deficit by 2023 in the next budget.

The spring session begins March 8, but no date has been announced for the budget.

Ceci is now consulting on the spending document and says there will be two telephone town halls next month.

“We are going to be ensuring that we compassionately tighten our belt,” Ceci said Monday. “We’re going to be showing Albertans our path back to balance.”