Alberta plans hefty spending to revive battered economy

By Nia Williams and Mike De Souza CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – The Canadian province of Alberta will post a C$6.1 billion ($4.6 billion) deficit this fiscal year and borrow heavily to fund infrastructure in a bid to revive an economy hammered by low oil prices, its left-leaning New Democratic government said on Tuesday. Alberta, whose oil sands are the largest source of U.S. crude imports, will continue to run deficits until 2019/20 and will spend C$38 billion on a capital plan investing in infrastructure, as well as health and education projects over the next five years. It estimates total debt will increase to C$36.6 billion, 10 percent of Alberta’s nominal gross domestic product, by fiscal 2017/18.

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Alberta plans hefty spending to revive battered economy