[Kosy123]

Has there ever been an impact study on moving the capital out of Edmonton? I assume it would be devastating to the regional economy, but how devastating?

I think that a UCP government would eventually make that move, so it would be nice to be mentally prepared.

That'll never happen tbh. Too prohibitive cost wise and the sheer logistical challenge of it is insane. Especially as the city grows past one million and continues to increase in size. Ignored? Yes. Overlooked? Yes. But moving the capital is a massive undertaking that has no sense at all, even for rabid right wing populists.

 

[ChazYEG]

That'll never happen tbh. Too prohibitive cost wise and the sheer logistical challenge of it is insane. Especially as the city grows past one million and continues to increase in size. Ignored? Yes. Overlooked? Yes. But moving the capital is a massive undertaking that has no sense at all, even for rabid right wing populists.

You could easily estimate the cost of this in the billions of dollars. Not to mention that they'd face very hard pushbacks from employees.

Most of them have made their lives here, with their families. They own houses, have their routines, plans, etc. Imagine having to deal with thousands of employees refusing to have their whole lives uprooted and forced to move their families to a more expensive city, with no pay raise, at risk of their SOs not finding an equivalent job, disrupting their kid's education... And that's just the tip of the issues they'd have to face regarding these people. Even if somehow the province managed to settle with these people to either help them with the move or pay them hefty settlements to leave the provincial jobs, it would costs A LOT of money, and then they'd have to open a massive hiring period, which is costly in itself, absorb and train all of the new people, and deal with all of the chaos that it would ensue from the transition.

Politically, it wouldn't bring them any benefits. They'd lose whatever seats they still have in Edmonton CMA, and could even backfire and cost them seats in Calgary as well, because of how disruptive, costly and fiscally irresponsible it would be.

 

[dkazzed]

Heard a rumour that the UCP government wants to explore public auto insurance. I think the thought of using the public pension plan to invest in oil and gas got the Premier thinking of other ways to put money into oil and gas, even if it means decimating another industry. Although many of the employees will probably find work in the public entity.

 

[David A]

Has there ever been an impact study on moving the capital out of Edmonton? I assume it would be devastating to the regional economy, but how devastating?

I think that a UCP government would eventually make that move, so it would be nice to be mentally prepared.

So, why would we want to do that? Do we want to move the capital closer to centre of the province? Oh wait, Edmonton is actually fairly close to the centre of the province.

 

[ChazYEG]

Heard a rumour that the UCP government wants to explore public auto insurance. I think the thought of using the public pension plan to invest in oil and gas got the Premier thinking of other ways to put money into oil and gas, even if it means decimating another industry. Although many of the employees will probably find work in the public entity.

I mean, in all honesty, if it meant lower insurance, I'm all for it.

Alberta has some of the highest insurance rates in the country, despite all of the competition. And mind you, I'm generally a very "free market" kind of person, but it clearly backfired in AB.

 

[David A]

The problem with auto insurance is that it is not really a free market. We are required to have it, so people can't decide not to even if companies jack up the rates a lot.

Once you start introducing regulation, the free market does not work so well and when you compare rates with our neighbouring provinces, it looks like we would be better off with a public system too.

 

[Airboy]

I mean, in all honesty, if it meant lower insurance, I'm all for it.

Alberta has some of the highest insurance rates in the country, despite all of the competition. And mind you, I'm generally a very "free market" kind of person, but it clearly backfired in AB.

Yah I heard the analysts on the radio. it doesn't sound like to many will see a drop.

Not looking forward to my next bill. Even though I have had a clear license for about 10 years I fear it will go up. Had to call them this week because someone backed into me in a parking lot. Luckily I saw him before he had a chance to drive away. But took 2.5 hours to get it registered with the new service. Took a hour just to start the process.

 

[Whattagame]

So, why would we want to do that? Do we want to move the capital closer to centre of the province? Oh wait, Edmonton is actually fairly close to the centre of the province.

"We" wouldn't want to do that, but the Capital region has been overtly punished by the UCP for the region's electoral leanings. A crippling blow like this would reverse population trends while bolstering that of Calgary. An earlier poster said that it would be insane and not fiscally responsible. Are we relying on a party led by someone who believes in the healing power of crystals, and who brought us the Dynalife, war room, and pension debacles to be sane and fiscally responsible?

 

[SumAqua]

"We" wouldn't want to do that, but the Capital region has been overtly punished by the UCP for the region's electoral leanings. A crippling blow like this would reverse population trends while bolstering that of Calgary. An earlier poster said that it would be insane and not fiscally responsible. Are we relying on a party led by someone who believes in the healing power of crystals, and who brought us the Dynalife, war room, and pension debacles to be sane and fiscally responsible?

It'd probably be more accurate to say that every conservative government since the Ralph Klein days (or maybe earlier than that, I'm not too sure) days has been punishing Edmonton for electoral leanings, while favoring Calgary.

Honestly, they may as well call themselves the Calgary government.

 

[dkazzed]

Ok so nothing close to public auto insurance was announced, but my auto insurance should be capped at the rate of inflation next year. I wonder who is regulating this?

 

[ChazYEG]

"We" wouldn't want to do that, but the Capital region has been overtly punished by the UCP for the region's electoral leanings. A crippling blow like this would reverse population trends while bolstering that of Calgary. An earlier poster said that it would be insane and not fiscally responsible. Are we relying on a party led by someone who believes in the healing power of crystals, and who brought us the Dynalife, war room, and pension debacles to be sane and fiscally responsible?

This process would necessarily be long, extremely complex and expensive. As crazy as she is, her whole party identity is built on fiscal responsibility, and their voters will likely be very pissed off. She would face backlash from within the party and could very well be voted out of power by her own caucus.
Also, something like this would very likely have to be put on a ballot, just like the Daylight Saving Time, which would open the discussion and probably make the UCP caucus VERY pressed.
If we were not in a parliamentary system I would be more concerned, but as is, the chances of this being approved on a ballot, or of her party keeping her in power, are very, VERY slim.

 

[Kosy123]

Yeah, this is a big non concern from me as well. If Edmonton was a city under 500,000 and Calgary had the same population as it does now? I *could* see it happening, but with our city's size? Nah.

I'd also argue that Smith wouldn't do it, and despite what some might see, I'd say that Smith has a better relationship with Sohi and vice versa than Sohi did with Kenney.

 

[The_Cat]

I took a look at the APP study (on Alberta Open Data) by LifeWorks, and I noticed the following:
(1) Contributions were estimated as the annual Alberta percentage of the federal share.
(2) Benefits paid were the Alberta benefits paid, generally lower than the federal average.
(3) Investment income was calculated at federal CPP rates of return. Given the lower level of benefits paid, there would be a greater accumulation of investment income leading to the higher reserve.
(4) The signatures on this study were redacted.

Some very fallacious assumptions.

 

[The_Cat]

Alberta Pension Plan: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/app-analysis-lifeworks-report

 

[The_Cat]