Premier to address immigration and population pressures in Alberta Thursday

Premier Danielle Smith will focus on immigration and Alberta's recent population growth in a Thursday address at 6:45 p.m. MT, one week before the provincial budget; she says lower oil revenues and rising costs from growth are creating fiscal pressure.

Premier Danielle Smith will speak to Albertans Thursday evening and plans to make immigration and the province's growing population a central theme. The address is set for 6:45 p.m. MT and comes one week before the UCP government tables its budget. Smith has said Alberta faces combined pressures from declining oil revenues and higher costs to provide services for a rapidly growing population. Members of her staff posted strong comments on X about immigration in the run-up to the speech. Alberta's population has passed five million and the province has been a leading destination for interprovincial migration in recent years. Key points: - The premier will deliver the address Thursday at 6:45 p.m. MT and CBC News will livestream it. - The speech occurs one week before the provincial budget, which Smith has warned will present a difficult fiscal outlook. - Smith has identified lower oil revenues and the costs of serving a rapidly growing population as combined pressures on the province. - Chief of staff Rob Anderson reshared immigration statistics on X and described the situation as "absolute insanity," while executive director Bruce McAllister posted strongly worded criticism of current immigration levels. - Alberta's population has exceeded five million and the province has been a top destination for interprovincial migrants following the "Alberta is Calling" campaign. Summary: The address signals the provincial government intends to highlight immigration as a key factor in recent population growth and fiscal pressure. It will precede next week's budget and could shape the government's public messaging and requests of Ottawa. Undetermined at this time.