Appropriation (Supplementary Supply) Act, 2025 ($)

Summary#

• This bill adds extra money to Alberta’s current-year budget. It lets the government top up funding for several departments before the fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025.

• It authorizes more day-to-day spending, small extra funds for projects, and some loan/investment activity (“financial transactions”).

• It also moves some approved funds from one department to another, mostly to focus more on mental health and addictions.

• Key points:

  • Adds about $470 million in extra operating funds, $3.9 million for capital projects, and $18.3 million for financial transactions this year.
  • Largest operating top-ups go to Forestry and Parks; Jobs, Economy and Trade; and Public Safety and Emergency Services.
  • Shifts $137.5 million from Health to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction.
  • Moves funds from Arts, Culture and Status of Women to Children and Family Services, Indigenous Relations, and Justice.
  • Requires that all spending under the Act be accounted for.

What it means for you#

• General public

  • Government programs in areas like parks, public safety, health care, and jobs get extra year-end funding to keep services running.
  • The bill itself does not change taxes or set new programs; it adds money to existing ones for the rest of the fiscal year.

• People seeking mental health or addiction services

  • More funding is directed to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction by moving $137.5 million from Health. This aims to put more resources under the department focused on these services.

• Families and communities

  • Children and Family Services receives funds transferred from Arts, Culture and Status of Women, which may support child- and family-related programs already in place.

• Arts, culture, and advocacy groups

  • The department gets a small operating increase but also transfers some of its approved funds to other departments. This reflects a shift in which department manages certain programs, not a new rule or program change in this bill.

• Municipalities

  • Municipal Affairs gets a modest top-up, which may help with existing grants or support programs through year-end. Specific uses are not listed in the bill.

Expenses#

Estimated annual cost: about CAD $470 million in added operating funds, plus CAD $3.9 million for capital and CAD $18.3 million for financial transactions.

• Operating (expense) top-ups by department:

  • Forestry and Parks: $251.378 million
  • Jobs, Economy and Trade: $91.631 million
  • Public Safety and Emergency Services: $45.479 million
  • Energy and Minerals: $41.651 million
  • Health: $26.200 million
  • Municipal Affairs: $9.381 million
  • Indigenous Relations: $3.353 million
  • Immigration and Multiculturalism: $0.809 million
  • Arts, Culture and Status of Women: $0.405 million

• Capital investment:

  • Jobs, Economy and Trade: $3.887 million

• Financial transactions (loans/investments):

  • Technology and Innovation: $15.000 million
  • Environment and Protected Areas: $3.291 million

• Fund transfers within the operating budget:

  • $137.502 million from Health to Mental Health and Addiction
  • $7.250 million from Arts, Culture and Status of Women to Children and Family Services
  • $1.363 million from Arts, Culture and Status of Women to Indigenous Relations
  • $2.100 million from Arts, Culture and Status of Women to Justice

Proponents’ View#

• This provides urgent, in-year funding so services do not slow down near the end of the fiscal year.
• Moving funds to Mental Health and Addiction focuses resources where they are most needed for people seeking help.
• Top-ups for Forestry and Parks and Public Safety and Emergency Services support frontline operations and community safety.
• The amounts are targeted and relatively limited compared with the full budget, avoiding broad changes.
• The Act includes an accountability clause to ensure the money is tracked and reported.

Opponents’ View#

• Extra “supplementary” funding late in the year may signal earlier budget planning was not accurate.
• The bill lists totals by department but not detailed program uses, which can limit transparency for the public.
• Moving money out of Arts, Culture and Status of Women may worry groups that rely on that department, even if programs shift elsewhere.
• One-time top-ups can patch short-term gaps but may not fix longer-term cost pressures or service backlogs.
• Without more detail, it is hard to judge whether these funds will deliver the intended results before year-end.