Albertans averaged more federal COVID-19 financial support than any other province: report

Edmonton -

Alberta residents received the most COVID-19 financial support from Ottawa among all provinces on average, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The group’s new report, “Still Picking Up the Tab,” analyzes federal and provincial spending on COVID-19 measures.

Albertans received more COVID-19 financial support than residents of any province, averaging $12,350 per person.

In Alberta, almost all of that money was from the federal government, with just eight per cent of the funding coming from the province.

On average, Albertans received more money from the federal government ($11,410 or just under $50 billion total) than residents of any other province, well ahead of second-placed Ontario ($9,940).

More than 92 per cent of the federal funding came through two programs: Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ($17.5 billion), and the Canada Emergency Business Account loan forgiveness program ($1.9 billion).

The report indicates the Alberta government was in the bottom tier of provinces in how much of its GDP it contributed to COVID-19 funding independent of federal money.

B.C. ranked first at 3.5 per cent of its GDP. Alberta contributed 1.2 % and was ranked seventh of 10 provinces, ahead of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

The total value of COVID-19 measures across both federal and provincial governments for the three fiscal years, ending with 2020–21, now amounts to almost $620 billion, according to the report.

PROVINCE SAYS REPORT IS 'INACCURATE'

While Edmonton’s Mayor Don Iveson is appreciative of financial support that was given, he is frustrated to learn Alberta tops all others in unallocated federal money.

“None of it was perfect, it was as you know, emergency response,” Iveson said. “But, I for one, have seen the impact of that aid in our municipality, in our public services, in life-saving work around homelessness.

“To hear that there’s still money on the table, of course, it’s irritating,” he added. “When we seem to mostly complain about not getting enough help. But the help is there, we just need to take advantage of it.”

David Shepherd, NDP health critic, echoed Iveson’s sentiments.

“When they can make a small investment to match federal dollars to do good things on behalf of the people of Alberta, they choose not to. And that’s just not right,” Shepherd said.

Jeffrey Sundquist, president and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, told CTV News in a statement that no one should be surprised at the rate of aid Albertans needed in 2020.

"Alberta was hit with a double whammy in 2020," he said, "with the pandemic and the worst-ever drop in global oil prices - even dipping below $0. Given this context, no one should be surprised that Albertans and local businesses qualified for federal support programs at higher rates."

A spokesperson from the minister of finance and treasury board’s office said the report does not take into account Alberta’s actual spending from 2020-21 and made “incorrect assertions.”

“The report as it was released is inaccurate, incomplete and uses outdated data," the spokesperson said.

The province will be releasing the 2021-22 first quarter fiscal update on Aug. 31, 2021, which the finance minister’s office says will “clearly outline” how contingency funds were spent.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson