As Albertans as face inflation levels not seen in almost four decades, NDP Leader Rachel Notley is calling for immediate relief..According to Statistics Canada, the national inflation rate hit 8.1% in June. In Alberta, the rate was even higher at 8.4%.“Albertans are struggling to make ends meet as they pay more for everything from gas to groceries and prices are still rising quickly,” Notley said..“This is a cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, the UCP has made a bad situation worse by increasing income taxes, property taxes, tuition, debt on student loans, park and camping fees, utilities, and auto insurance.”.According to the Business Council of Alberta, wage growth in the province has significantly lagged behind the rest of the country since the start of the pandemic..“That means even though energy prices are high, most Alberta families are getting a cut in the real value of their paycheques,” Notley said..According to a recent Ipsos poll conducted for accounting firm MNP Inc, Albertans are “more likely to say they are already feeling the effects of interest rate increases, they are concerned about their ability to repay debts as interest rates rises, and if interest rates go up much more, they will be in financial trouble.”.According to the NDP, in the UCP’s first budget, it ended the practice of tying income tax brackets and benefits to inflation. The NDP said a recent analysis by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy show the changes to the tax code will lead to over $1 billion in tax increases..The NDP stated UCP leadership candidates Rajan Sawhney and Travis Toews have "made promises during the campaign to reverse these cuts to benefits and tax increases they implemented while in cabinet.".“If these leadership hopefuls were serious, they would join us in our call to reconvene the Legislature to pass real relief for Albertans so they can put food on the table, keep the lights on, and breathe a little easier,” Notley said..“These are simple, specific steps that we can get done immediately. We cannot wait for October. An NDP government will always be focused on the priorities of Albertans. That means making life more affordable and keeping more money in Albertans’ pockets.”
