In a bid to increase affordability and reduce the cost of living, UCP leader Danielle Smith this morning moved to cut costs for seniors by 25% for all government services..The discount would apply to all personal registry services, camping fees and driver’s medical exams, she said at a Calgary press conference this morning. .“That means when seniors go to their local registry to have personal services like their driver's licence or vehicle registration renewed, take a road test, get title certificates or birth certificates, those fees will be 25% cheaper. When they go to book provincial camping spots for the summer to enjoy Alberta’s beautiful backyard with their loved ones, the fees will be 25% less expensive,” she said in prepared remarks. .“When they need a driver's medical exam to make sure they can keep their licence and their independence, that exam will be 25% more affordable. Every dollar saved through this seniors’ discount is another dollar back in their pockets they can use on necessities and the things that matter to them.”.The driver’s medical, in particular, can cost a minimum of $85 and up to $150 or more at age 75, 80 and then every two years thereafter. In 2020 the UCP government decided to stop paying doctors to do the exams and are now paid out of pocket. The NDP vowed to eliminate the fee if elected..Nonetheless, Smith continued with her affordability campaign theme, insisting Rachel Notley’s NDP raised taxes and fees 97 times during its time in office, many of which she didn’t campaign on..“In their first budget in 2015, Rachel Notley’s NDP raised camping fees, electricity rates at campsites, dump station fees, and fees on many more services.Their 2016 and 2018 budgets also raised fees for land titles, museums, and campsites for the second time.”.This is also despite the fact the UCP under former premier Jason Kenney introduced a $90 fee for visiting Kananaskis, something the NDP vowed to revoke if elected.. SmithSmith .There was no mention of an age threshold that would constitute a ‘senior,’ but to qualify for the Alberta Seniors Benefit a person has to be 65 or older. As of September, according to government data, there were about 725,000 people older than 65 living in Alberta, a number that's expected to double in the next two decades.
