The new Red Deer Justice Centre. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Major Projects To Receive Funding

How Budget 2024 will impact Red Deer and central Alberta

Feb 29, 2024 | 4:22 PM

It’s a big day in Alberta, with Finance Minister Nate Horner having tabled Budget 2024 in the legislature Thursday afternoon.

Horner spoke at length about being fiscally responsible, which means preparing for the bad times while times are good, he said.

The budget includes a $367 million surplus, and the largest ever amount earmarked for healthcare — over $26 billion. Just over $800 million of that is for the Red Deer Hospital expansion project over the next three years.

For Red Deer and central alberta, there’s also funding for the following:

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• Red Deer Polytechnic – CIM-TAC East Campus Expansion – $3 million in 2024/25, $5 million in 25/26, $5 million in 26/27 ($13 million over three years)
  *$13 million for Red Deer Polytechnic to create purpose-built space to help businesses conduct applied research.
• Red Deer Regional Airport Expansion – $20 million in 2024/25, $9 million in 25/26
• Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Redevelopment – $151 million in 2024/25, $316 million in 25/26, $343 million in 26/27 ($810 million over three years)
  *$810 million to advance the redevelopment and expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, including Ambulatory Services.
• Highway 11 Twinning from Red Deer west to Rocky Mountain House – $17 million in 2024/25, 50 million in 25/26, $62 million in 26/27 ($129 million over three years)
• Red Deer Justice Centre – $23 million in 2024/25, $9 million in 25/26
• Red Deer Integrated Emergency Shelter – $7 million in 2024/25

Rocky Mountain House

• Highway 11 Twinning from Red Deer west to Rocky Mountain House – $17 million in 2024/25, 50 million in 25/26, $62 million in 26/27 ($129 million over three years)
• David Thompson Corridor upgrades – $1 million in 2024/25

Olds

• Olds College – WJ Elliot Expansion and Renovation – $13 million in 2024/25, $25 million in 25/26, $25 million in 26/27 ($63 million over three years)

“Red Deer Polytechnic is playing a critical role supporting technological innovation while creating opportunities for students,” says Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education. “That’s why Alberta’s Government is making a strategic investment to expand the CIM-TAC and give RDP even greater capacity to train apprentices and help sectors across our economy remain competitive.”

RDP is Alberta’s third largest provider of skilled trades education. Learners enrolled in RDP’s apprenticeship and technology programs are among those who will benefit from the CIM-TAC expansion as this capital investment will support unique training opportunities.

(Red Deer Polytechnic)

“We thank the Government of Alberta for the $13 million provided in Budget 2024 to expand our Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing–Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC),” says Stuart Cullum, President, RDP.

“This funding will help create new and innovative teaching and learning spaces at Red Deer Polytechnic, while expanding our applied research capacity to support Alberta based companies,” said Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “Because of this investment, Alberta based manufacturers across multiple sectors will have greater ability to develop, test and scale their ideas, while RDP students will be engaged at the forefront of made-in-Alberta technologies and manufacturing solutions. This expanded and enhanced innovation ecosystem will enhance productivity and social impact within our province.”

Cullum notes that today’s investment will complement the recently announced $20 million gift to RDP from the Donald Family that will establish the Donald Family Institute for Healthtech Innovation.

The CIM-TAC currently houses $7.6 million of advanced manufacturing equipment, RDP says. As the facility expands, so too will RDP’s capacity to house additional technologies and equipment used for product development, advanced manufacturing and medical device manufacturing.

Undoubtedly, more items from the budget will benefit central Alberta as details come out about specific items revealed today.

rdnewsNOW will have more local reaction to the budget in the days to come.

For more coverage of today’s budget NOW, click HERE.

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