This fall’s budget promises to provide direction and clarity on what the provincial government is planning for the months and years to come. The McKinnon Report and the UCP platform have set out some clear priorities related to curbing the costs of healthcare, education, with a keen focus on promoting the economic competitiveness of the province.
The four YWCAs of Alberta – who support thousands of Albertans in urban and rural areas – have collaborated on a comprehensive budget and red tape reduction submission. This submission includes strategies for effectively supporting vulnerable Albertans to ensure they can thrive.
We believe that prevention is the best medicine – a well-designed and funded social services sector is a primary tool for curbing the ballooning costs of healthcare. Albertans deserve the best public health care system that is responsive to their needs; however, its important they also have access to recreation, cultural and religious services, social and psychological supports, housing and healthy food. In the long term, Albertans that are able to meet their basic needs are healthier, more resilient and reduce their use of public healthcare systems.
When there are opportunities to reimagine service delivery, using non-profit organizations is an excellent way to more effectively reach Albertans and meet their needs. We strongly recommend that any health-related services delivered by the non-profit sector are presented at the true cost of that work – meaning that staffing and pay rates are at the industry standard and costs for operations reflect industry benchmarks.
To read the full budget submission read it here.
