SPENDING IS NOT A PLAN

Finance Minister Joe Ceci has had an unenviable task since taking the job in 2015. Each time he’s been required to update Albertans on the state of the province’s finances, he’s been the bearer of bad news.

Thursday, Ceci was able to deliver a more rosy message. The third-quarter financial report foresees GDP growth of 2.4 per cent in 2017, after falling 2.8 per cent in 2016 and sliding 3.5 per cent a year earlier.

The Conference Board of Canada is even more optimistic about Alberta’s prospects, and says the province could lead the country in growth next year. As good as that sounds, remember such giddy forecasts reflect an improvement in economic uncertainty that has left thousands without jobs and many businesses forced to close their doors. When you’ve suffered a financial bruising, it doesn’t take much to improve the outlook for the future.

Still, Ceci had some good news to share: 18,000 jobs have been created since July, and rising non-renewable resource revenue is likely to be $1 billion more than forecasted in the budget, thanks to a $6-per-barrel average increase in the price of oil.

It’s notable that of the jobs that have been created, 12,000 positions are in the oilfield sector, where 199 rigs are working. If the Notley government was going to diversify the economy and create jobs in other areas, as it promised in its so-called Alberta Jobs Plan, the results look weak. Perhaps those efforts will bear fruit in months to come.

The NDP has pointed out repeatedly that it can’t control the price of oil. Where the government continues to make errors is in not reducing expenses.

Spending isn’t going down, it’s going up, to $53.7 billion, which is $2.6 billion more than estimated in the spring budget.

Even with higher resource revenues, the deficit is still expected to come in at $10.8 billion, which is unchanged from the last forecast in November, but higher than the $10.4-billion shortfall set out in the budget last April.

All this borrowed money that supports unsustainable spending has to be paid back. The NDP has said it won’t balance the books until at least 2024 — that’s after the next election, and conveniently, beyond the election after that.

If the NDP refuses to entertain sizable budget cuts — which has protected civil servants’ unionized jobs while those in the private sector struggle — it is left with only two choices if it hopes to balance the ledgers: increase taxes, or count on rising energy royalties.

Albertans will see what choice, or mix of decisions, the NDP makes in months to come. For now, the intention is to spend without a plan.