EDMONTON — Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi is promising to raise the provincial minimum wage to $18 an hour from $15, while keeping corporate income tax rates unchanged as part of a new economic strategy unveiled Thursday.Nenshi announced the party's Good Jobs and a Better Economy plan in Calgary, outlining three pillars focused on job creation, shared prosperity and responsible management of taxpayer money.Nenshi accused Premier Danielle Smith's UCP government of lacking a comprehensive economic development strategy, arguing it has focused too heavily on political battles instead of preparing Alberta for economic challenges."Danielle Smith and the UCP have spent years, seven years, focused on political fights, distractions, waste, and mismanagement," said Nenshi. "They've wasted boom times. They've wasted bust times. They haven't focused on what it takes to build Alberta's economy without that clear strategy.".He pointed to Alberta's 7.3% unemployment rate and 15.2% youth unemployment rate, arguing the province needs to diversify its economy and create opportunities in emerging industries.The NDP plan includes attracting more corporate head offices, supporting small businesses and expanding opportunities in defence, aerospace, technology, life sciences, tourism and film and television.The party also promises to develop a comprehensive labour force strategy, expand skills training, increase capacity in high-demand occupations and reinstate the Summer Youth Employment Program.On business taxation, Nenshi said an NDP government would keep corporate income tax rates unchanged to provide stability for companies considering investments in Alberta.He pointed to changing regulations surrounding artificial intelligence data centres as an example of the uncertainty businesses face, specifically referencing the proposed Synapse data centre project in Olds."We think it's important to talk to businesses about the stability it takes to invest here, and we think one of those things is about tax stability," Nenshi said. .The plan also includes commitments to maintain reliable and affordable electricity, strengthen Alberta's energy and agriculture industries, expand critical mineral processing and support additional value-added manufacturing.On environmental policy, the party proposes expanding clean energy, streamlining project approvals while maintaining environmental standards and Indigenous consultation, and reinstating the coal mining moratorium in the Eastern Slopes.Nenshi also reiterated the NDP's support for the Pacific Link pipeline, arguing the route selected by the federal government is the one his party originally advocated for."Our job is to make sure that thing gets inbuilt on time, on budget," Nenshi said.The Alberta NDP leader said the economic plan is an initial look at what Albertans could expect from an NDP government and that the party intends to release additional policy previews on the environment and education in the coming weeks."If we wrote a full AI policy today, I think Evan would agree it would be outdated by Christmas," Nenshi said, explaining the party wants flexibility to respond to changing economic conditions.
