The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) on Thursday morning released a draft fiscal plan detailing how Alberta could structure itself as an independent nation.The plan projects a massive annual surplus, a new currency and hundreds of billions in oil-fuelled economic activity.The 45-page Value of Freedom document claims an independent Alberta could retain up to $75 billion in federal tax revenues each year, with an estimated net fiscal gain of $44 to $47 billion after accounting for federal transfers currently returned to the province.That surplus would not only allow for "substantial tax reductions," the draft states, but also "transformative investments in infrastructure, public services and economic diversification," positioning Alberta as a “robust, self-sustaining economy.”Calgary lawyer Jeff Rath, who is leading the APP independence charge, in an interview with the Western Standard emphasized the amount of surplus the APP expects to see Alberta gain after becoming a sovereign nation..“There's so much fiscal surplus that Alberta could literally, out of the money that we're saving by not sending $15 billion a year to (Ottawa for equalization payments), $30 to $50 billion a year in fiscal capacity surplus … we can afford to self-fund the CPP at double the present rate forever,” said Rath.“Effectively, CPP payments would be almost a rounding error on the provincial budget.”“The legal standard for a fiduciary is a reasonably prudent person of business managing their own affairs.”“So as far as I'm concerned, any premier, any MLA or any cabinet minister that reads this document and refuses to support Alberta independence is in violation of their fiduciary obligations to the citizens of Alberta.”“The vast majority of (Premier) Danielle Smith's base can do basic math. And that's why over 70% of Danielle Smith's base now favour independence.”“The only members of Danielle Smith’s base that don't support independence are the ones that have had their faces in the trough for decades, and who are served very well by the status quo.”The fiscal draft assumes Alberta exits Canada by 2026 and launches a series of parallel institutions — from an Alberta police force to a new currency. While it acknowledges startup costs and political risks, the authors argue the economic upside of independence is overwhelming..Oil, gas and the Alberta dollarAlberta’s oil and gas industry is at the heart of the APP’s fiscal plan. It forecasts oil production to rise from 3.8 to 9.5 million barrels per day by 2045, with total direct oil and gas revenues reaching $4.7 trillion over two decades. Deregulation savings and total economic activity could top $8.2 trillion over 20 years, says the APP.Under the proposed plan, Alberta would launch its own currency — the Alberta Dollar — temporarily adopting the US dollar before transitioning to a fully backed national currency.That new dollar would be backed by gold, Bitcoin and oil, described by the APP as a “tripartite reserve” designed to ensure credibility and avoid inflation.“This positions the Alberta Dollar as a stable and innovative currency, reinforcing Alberta’s economic resilience and global financial standing,” the draft states..Immigration, deportation and environmental shiftsThe plan proposes a revised points-based immigration system with an annual intake of 18,000 to 27,000 newcomers, prioritizing skilled labour for energy, agriculture and tech. It also includes provisions to deport applicants with fraudulent credentials.The APP also outlines a radically different climate policy, rejecting federal carbon targets in favour of a “pragmatic carbon strategy,” that includes using Alberta’s grasslands, forests and peatlands to sequester up to 122 megatonnes of CO2-equivalent annually, largely through rotational grazing, reforestation and peatland preservation.The immigration point system contains a 10-point category for healthy people and those who did not take the “experimental mRNA injections” from the COVID-19 pandemic.When asked about that, Rath replied, “we think people should get bonus points for being critical thinkers.”“That's the opinion of the authors of this document — that people that were smart enough not to listen to Justin Trudeau and get jabbed with the vaccines that in the long term have harmed their health, should get bonus points.”“There's more than a dozen or so studies that now show that people that were vaccinated have poorer health outcomes. They're more likely to be hospitalized, they're more likely to get sick, they're more likely to have impaired immune systems.”“We have enough of those people here to take care of, so we don't want more of them. We also don't want people with criminal records.”.Pensions and policingOn the Alberta Pension Plan, the draft assumes a conservative asset transfer of $167 billion from the Canada Pension Plan — half the amount Alberta claims it is owed — which would give Alberta a $183.7 billion pension fund by 2025.With projected returns and contributions, the Alberta Pension Plan would bring in $23.4 billion annually, covering all pension obligations and generating a substantial surplus.In terms of policing, the APP proposes a provincial overhaul that would replace the RCMP and federal policing with an Albertan force. The draft estimates the new policing structure would cost $734-$759 million annually, plus $366 million in one-time setup costs.The authors argue the shift would enhance accountability and rural service..Indigenous partnershipThe APP proposes a sweeping redefinition of Alberta's relationship with indigenous communities. The plan sets aside $4.2-$5 billion annually for indigenous services — including funding for sovereign, self-governing communities — and promises to enshrine land ownership and resource rights in a new Alberta Constitution.That includes allocating 1.6 million hectares of Crown land to indigenous ownership, in addition to existing reserves, and granting full control over resource development, gaming and land use without the federal Indian Act."Indigenous nations would forever have autonomy over their land use... absent of the federal Indian Act constraints," the report states.Postal services and aviationAn independent Alberta would opt out of most federal service delivery, according to the APP draft.Rather than creating a new postal agency, Alberta would lean on private carriers like FedEx and UPS, keeping postal costs between $350-$420 million annually, funded through user fees.Similarly, aviation navigation and security would be delivered through a new Alberta air authority, costing $300-$450 million annually, with startup costs of up to $100 million.These figures are excluded from the province’s expected $68-$75 billion in recovered federal tax contributions and instead treated as user-paid services, much like RCMP contracts are today.Risks and realitiesDespite its optimistic tone, the draft admits major risks. These include volatile oil prices, investment shortfalls, environmental liabilities and international trade friction.It also concedes that startup costs for new systems could top $5.7 billion, and that establishing trade agreements, regulatory agencies and defence capabilities will take time and political capital.However, the authors argue that with careful management, Alberta could run an annual surplus of $29.4 to $48.3 billion, even before factoring in one-time costs — with the APP alone generating a $17.4-$20.4 billion surplus each year.
