Lukaszuk releases infrastructure plan
Debt for schools, bridges, roads OK while balancing operating budget
Alberta’s unfulfilled promise to build new schools across the province represents “fields of shattered dreams,” Progressive Conservative leadership hopeful Thomas Lukaszuk said Thursday as he announced his infrastructure platform.
The Edmonton-Castle Downs MLA said he is “100per cent committed” to building needed infrastructure across Alberta — taking on “manageable debt” to do it — but wouldn’t commit to the number of schools he’d want to see built if he becomes premier.
“The fact is that if we haven’t fulfilled our promise up to now, why would you increase that promise without first showing Albertans that you meant it and were serious about the first promise,” he said.
Former premier Alison Redford’s government promised to build 50 new schools and renovate 70 more, but to date construction hasn’t begun on any.
“Those are fields of shattered dreams. Kids grow up, families move out, and schools are still not built,” he said.
Rival PC leadership candidate Jim Prentice has pledged to build up to 50 new schools in addition to the existing promise, but hasn’t committed to a timeline for their completion.
Lukaszuk and the race’s third candidate, Calgary MLA Ric McIver, have both panned the idea as not being based on fact. McIver has said that he would examine the needs across the province before settling on a number.
School boards across Alberta are dealing with overcrowded classrooms as the province’s population continues to soar.
Lukaszuk said he would consider “any and all” alternative financing arrangements to help get needed schools, hospitals and roads built, but would maintain a “balanced operating budget.”
Any arrangements his government would pursue, including public-private partnerships, have to be beneficial to Albertans and fiscally and socially responsible, the former deputy premier said.
“This is not a work camp that we’re building. I don’t want Alberta to become synonymous with a place you fly into maybe for a week or a month or a couple of years, make a lot of money, and then get the heck out of here,” he said. “I want Alberta to be a home. A place where people want to stay.”
Any new neighbourhood should be built around a new school, Lukaszuk said, pledging to better work with community organizations and other partners to develop ways to better use facilities after hours.
Both Lukaszuk and McIver have advocated a model that sees schools used as community hubs, housing things like recreation centres, day cares and other services.
PC party members will vote for a new leader in a first ballot set for Sept. 6. If no candidate gets 50 per cent plus one vote, a run-off will be held Sept. 20.