EDMONTON -- Voters will head to the polls in a few days to elect a new Parliament, with 11 seats up for grabs in the Edmonton area.  

Ahead of that, CTV News reviewed the major parties' platforms -- Conservatives, Greens, Liberals and New Democrats  --  to get a sense of how they plan to address some of the issues affecting our city.

Here's a look at what's in it for Edmonton from each of the major parties with local candidates:

 

OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Alberta oil

There is no bigger issue this election than the future of the oil and gas industry for many Albertans and Edmontonians. The industry employs thousands across the province with its fate affecting the livelihoods of many families and entire communities. 

"Unquestionably for Alberta the issue in the forefront of people's minds is market access and pipeline development," said MacEwan University political scientist Chaldeans Mensah. 

"This has been hanging over the whole political and economic discussion ... the issue of how to get [pipelines] built and the way Trudeau's government has handled the whole energy file." 

CONSERVATIVE 

The Conservatives have pledged to accelerate the construction of pipelines by deeming them to be in the national interest. The party is also promising to repeal the ban on oil tankers in northern B.C., in theory opening up a much sought after way to transport Alberta oil to overseas markets .

GREEN

The party is seeking to transition to a "green economy" that includes "fairly transition[ing] fossil fuel workers to the renewable energy sector as well as eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. 

LIBERAL

The Liberal government purchased the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline extension for $4.5 billion in August of 2018. But it also quashed two other pipeline projects and is promising to invest any profits from the Trans Mountain project in to a "clean energy transition."

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The New Democrats have pledged to "cut big oil and gas subsidies" with the goal of moving to completely non-emitting electricity by 2050.

 

CARBON TAX 

Carbon emissions

Given its close relationship with the oil and gas industry, the carbon tax is also a key issue for many Albertans. This summer, the province's UCP government repealed a provincial carbon tax implemented by the previous NDP provincial government. But, a federal carbon tax is slated to replace it on Jan. 1 if the Liberals maintain a hold on government. 

CONSERVATIVE 

The Conservatives are strong opponents of the federal tax and promise to abolish it if elected, leaving it to individual provinces to determine carbon pricing, if any. 

GREEN

The Greens call for a "transition to a low-carbon economy" that includes creating a single price on carbon that applies to consumers and industries alike, and increasing the carbon tax until Canada is emissions-neutral. 

LIBERAL

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau continues to support the federal tax scheduled to kick in on New Year's Day. The party plans to increase that tax every year until 2022 when emissions will be taxed at $50 per tonne. 

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The NDP intend to invest in carbon-free electricity, saying putting a price on carbon is "an important tool to drive greenhouse gas reductions." It says it will roll back breaks it says the Liberals have given to big polluters. 

 

JOBS

jobs

Edmonton's unemployment rate in July was estimated at 7.5 per cent, higher than the national unemployment rate released a month later of 5.7 per cent. Alberta's unemployment rate has surpassed the national average since 2016. 

CONSERVATIVE 

A big part of the Conservative job plan relies on pipeline construction which the party says will create thousands of jobs, many of them in Alberta. The party also says its planned reversal of small business tax hikes will also spur employment. The Conservatives are the only party not committed to a $15 minimum wage.

GREEN

Elizabeth May's party says it would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and create a $6.4 billion annual investment in infrastructure that will result in "unleashing an army of carpenters, electricians and contractors to improve building energy efficiency." 

LIBERAL

The Liberals are also seeking a $15 federal minimum wage while pledging to extend Employment Insurance benefits and establish the Canada Training Benefit which would provide training and income support for workers learning new skills. 

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The NDP says it plans to build an "advanced low-carbon manufacturing economy" that it says will create 300,000 "good jobs" within the next four years. It's also promising to work with provinces and cities to develop a national industrial strategy. It is also seeking a $15 federal minimum wage.

 

HOUSING

Home sales

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data shows Edmonton recorded the largest month-over-month price drop in the country last July.  The agency says “the oversupply of homes, combined with unfavourable market conditions, continued to lower new house prices.”

That may be good news for prospective buyers, but the industry says its concerning for current homeowners. 

"People have to come in to the market, people have to move within the market up or down, and people have to be able to exit the market. And they have to be able to exit with equity," said Michael Broderick with the Realtors Association of Canada. 

CONSERVATIVE 

Leader Andrew Scheer is promising to ease the mortgage "stress test" and increase amortization periods to 30 years for first-time buyers in an effort to boost the country's real estate market. 

GREEN

The Greens want to see housing become a "legally protected fundamental human right for all Canadians" and is calling for a review, though not the repeal, of the federal First Time Home Buyer Grant. 

LIBERAL

The Liberals are stressing affordable housing with a pledge to build 100,000 affordable homes across the country over the next decade. The party is also promising a first-time homebuyer incentive that could result in a discount of as much as 10 per cent. 

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Jagmeet Singh say his party will create 500,000 units of affordable housing over the next ten years and will also set up fast-start funds to help communities with the construction of co-ops, social and non-profit housing. 

 

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

LVR

Edmontonians are enduring the completion of a pair of major transportation and infrastructure projects with the renovation of the Groat Road Bridge and construction of the Valley Line LRT and another one set to begin soon with the widening of the southwest part of Anthony Henday Drive.

CONSERVATIVES

The Conservatives plan to scrap the Canada Infrastructure Bank, a Crown corporation that has provided funding for public transit and green infrastructure projects. They also plan to bring back a tax credit for public transit users that the Trudeau government removed in 2017. 

GREEN

The Green platform stresses an investment in rail systems and trains. It also promotes the use of electric cars by investing in a national power grid.

LIBERAL

Justin Trudeau is promising a further $3 billion in public transit funding that would be linked in part to services reaching zero emissions. He's also pitching a national infrastructure fund to back projects "that benefit all Canadians."

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The New Democrats support low-carbon transit projects, including zero emissions buses and electric trains. They also promise to work with provinces and cities for fare-free transit and bring back rural bus routes cancelled by Greyhound. 

 

READ MORE

Follow the links below to read the parties' platforms in full.