Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she is thinking about proposing student loan relief and aid for insurance costs to help people while inflation remains high. .“We may have to look at some student loan relief,” said Smith in a Monday interview with Western Standard opinion editor Nigel Hannaford..“We may have to look at insurance costs as another example.” . Danielle SmithExclusive with Premier Danielle Smith .Smith said the Alberta government has the revenues to meet its obligations this fiscal year and into June. She said it will assess where it is at in July. .The Alberta premier went on to say she is “hopeful that some of the measures that are being taken will allow for us to get through the inflation crisis.” She added she hopes high inflation does not continue on for longer. .Inflation in Canada was at 6.9% on a year-over-year basis in September, down from a 7% gain in August, according to October data from Statistics Canada. .READ MORE: Inflation in Canada falls to 6.9% in September.Excluding food and energy, the data said prices rose 5.4% year over year in September, following a gain of 5.3% in August. Prices for durable goods, such as furniture and passenger vehicles, grew at a faster pace in September compared with August..Grocery store item prices grew by 11.4% in September, rising at the fastest pace since 1981. These items increased because of unfavourable weather, higher prices for important inputs such as fertilizer and natural gas, and geopolitical instability related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine..Interest rates have gone up, which Smith said are “causing a lot of pain for people who are homeowners.” She said there are a few more measures the Alberta government might have to take. .The Alberta government has called in the Insurance Bureau of Alberta (IBA) and asked it to put its members on notice. She said people cannot keep having escalating insurance premiums. .Alberta has some of the highest auto insurance rates in Canada. She has requested the IBA find out why it stands out as an anomaly and see what it proposes to solve it. .Smith said people expect her to be fiscally conservative. She said people want a high priority for her to be developing a plan to pay off debt and develop a long-term savings plan. .“But I also think they know that when times are good, that we’ve got to be able to deal with some of the pressure points, whether it’s on infrastructure or whether it’s on affordability rates,” she said. .Smith took to the airwaves on November 22 to advise people she was introducing the Inflation Relief Act and suspending the provincial fuel tax. .READ MORE: Smith announces Inflation Relief Act and suspends fuel tax in Alberta."We are facing a very difficult time as a country and as a province,” she said. .She said for seniors and families with dependent children under 18 years old, the Alberta government will provide $600 over six months for each senior and child. This will be targeted at middle-class families with household incomes below $180,000.
