Nate Horner

Horner says low oil prices would make Alberta's structural deficit "extremely obvious," while sustained higher oil prices would significantly reduce the deficit — an extra month at elevated prices would have a dramatic impact and would "help the books."

Nate Horner acknowledges infrastructure needs but emphasizes the province faces a $9.4‑billion deficit, saying that fiscal constraints require continuing to prioritize spending rather than fully meeting all funding requests in Budget 2026.

Nate Horner acknowledges multi-year deficits driven by low oil prices, population growth and global uncertainty, and defends continued government spending to bolster core services like health care and education, urging the province to bring Albertans along during the recovery.

As finance minister, Nate Horner tabled the $83.9-billion budget that restored grants-in-lieu and raised education property tax rates, and he rejected municipalities’ request to have the province separately collect education taxes, saying he won’t create duplicate systems.

Horner supports keeping the current model where municipalities collect the provincial education property tax to avoid duplicate tax collection systems, warned the education-rate would rise again in 2026, and urged municipalities to itemize provincial-driven tax increases.

Nate Horner says the provincial government will run multi-year deficits (2025–29), acknowledges those projected deficits will prompt a review and likely amendment of Alberta’s fiscal framework, and frames deficits as one of three policy levers alongside revenue and expenses.

Horner acknowledges municipalities’ needs are real but says the province’s budget deficit limits what can be provided, warning many municipalities will not receive all they requested and that the government must restrict allocations due to fiscal constraints.

Horner insists on fiscal discipline: the government must make hard decisions when revenues fall, adjusting spending and deficits to protect services, jobs and stability. He stresses there is no way around reducing deficits when revenue drops.

Nate Horner supports the ratified collective agreement, saying it delivers fair compensation increases aligned with other public-sector deals and improved benefits for General Support Services members, and he indicated the agreement concludes collective bargaining with major health sectors for this round.

Horner says contraband tobacco diminishes government revenue that funds public programs and services, undermines fair competition and public health, and therefore he supports tougher measures—mandatory seizure reporting and harsher financial penalties—to protect provincial revenue.

Nate Horner supports Bill 12 to bar pre-November 2024 lawsuits against AIMCo, saying the measure is needed to protect Alberta taxpayers from roughly $1.3 billion in losses; he opposes extra provincial borrowing and removed AIMCo executives, appointing an interim CEO.

Horner expressed disappointment that AUPE served strike notice and said the government hopes the AUPE and AHS reach a negotiated settlement, indicating a preference for negotiation over strike action while not endorsing the walkout.

Nate Horner warns Alberta faces a persistent deficit and rising debt, telling municipalities they should not expect extra provincial support in the 2026 budget due to lower oil prices and fiscal pressures — municipalities must temper expectations.

Nate Horner opposes the AUPE strike vote, calling the government's 12% over four years a fair, competitive settlement. He says the union's demands—40–55% LPN raises and reduced hours—are excessive, unaffordable, and ignore LPN/RN training and scope differences.

Nate Horner urges the federal budget to prioritize increased infrastructure funding—especially for schools, water and wastewater—to help Alberta handle rapid population growth; he also seeks continued federal support for child care and health-care cost relief and reduced regulatory burdens on large projects.

Nate Horner supports invoking the notwithstanding clause and related legislation to end the teachers' strike and keep schools open, endorsing imposing a collective agreement to prevent further work stoppages and ensure classrooms remain open.

Nate Horner, via his office, supports ending the interim hybrid policy and expects full-time in-office work will strengthen collaboration, accountability and service delivery; he says the COVID-era hybrid model was temporary and some individual flexibility will remain.

Horner says the teachers' demands are excessive and beyond the government's $2.6 billion cap, calls the proposal 'shot for the moon,' defends the province's pay offer as 'extremely fair,' and says officials may table back-to-work legislation to resume schooling.

Nate Horner criticizes the teachers' union striking without clarity, saying it is harmful for a union to strike without clearly understanding and presenting what their members want. He announced government supports (weekly parent payments) and administrative steps if a strike occurs.

Nate Horner supports the tentative teachers' agreement as a means to secure labour stability in Alberta, endorsing the negotiated deal as a positive path forward to ensure a successful school year for students and avoid disruptive strike action.

Nate Horner says the teachers' union deliberately misinforms the public, has filed a complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, demands the ATA retract alleged false claims, and opposes the union using students and families as leverage in bargaining.

Horner says Alberta's 7.5% rate cap for good drivers is keeping auto insurance rates 'artificially low' and that the previously touted $400 savings may already reflect that cap rather than the new system's reforms.