Premier Danielle Smith told an Alberta Next town hall at Airdrie’s Town & Country Centre on Sept. 15 that “few communities have grown faster than Airdrie, as your MLA Angela Pitt keeps on telling us.” The event was livestreamed on her YouTube, X and Facebook accounts, where the full recording remains available. “The people who live here and the people who are flocking here know exactly what makes Airdrie so appealing. It’s a welcoming and affordable community with great amenities and a quality of life that is hard to beat. These qualities are worth protecting, and this growing community deserves the best future that we can give it, and tonight is your chance to help us shape that future,” Smith said. On its website, Alberta Next says it is touring the province “to hear from Albertans on how our province can better protect ourselves from Ottawa’s attacks, while building a more prosperous, strong and sovereign Alberta within Canada.” It lists for discussion reforms to federal transfers and equalization, creation of an Alberta Pension Plan, constitutional changes to expand provincial rights, replacing the RCMP with a provincial police service, taking more control of immigration, and withdrawing from the federal tax-collection agreement so Albertans file directly with the province. The panel says ideas raised through the process will help shape referendum questions in 2026. Airdrie’s population reached 90,044 as of April 1, 2025 — an increase of 4,239 residents year over year — according to results of the city’s municipal census presented to council on July 2. The city reported a 4.9 per cent annual growth rate compared to 3.51 per cent for Alberta, and noted a 6.69 per cent increase in habitable dwellings from 2024. Growth has also been cited as one of the top issues in Airdrie’s municipal election. A DiscoverAirdrie online poll in which over 200 responses were recorded found 32.39 per cent of respondents cited growth and infrastructure as the city’s top issue, ahead of taxes, recreation and other concerns. The city’s statistically valid 2025 Resident Satisfaction Survey also listed infrastructure and traffic as the leading issues, followed by health care and recreation. Education strain At the town hall, residents lined up at the microphones. Shauna, a local teacher, said her classes were overcrowded and difficult to manage. “My kids will probably never be able to afford a house here. That’s probably a given,” she said. “The other thing is, as a teacher, we’re dealing with a lot of people coming in who don’t speak English, and we’re at class sizes of 38 to 40 in our high school, and we are getting three, four kids in a class that do not have English, and we have to teach them because that’s our job. And as teachers, I’ve seen really good teachers leaving the profession because they’re like, how do I do this? How do I have 38 kids with 14 on IPPs, three that don’t speak English? Yes, major behaviours, and it’s really challenging.” She added: “The jobs for kids. I work with kids trying to get them work experience credits, they can’t find jobs to be able to do that even part time. And that’s a real challenge for kids. It’s really heartbreaking, because they’re begging, please help me. There’s just no jobs.” Smith replied: “I should have mentioned that as well. That was one of the reasons why we had to announce an $8.6 billion plan to add 200,000 new spaces, because that’s one of the issues that we’re facing, is we just need more physical space for people, and we we understand the need to hire more teachers to bring class sizes down, but also more education assistants so that you have the hands on deck to be able to help with those special needs kids. So thank you for all the work that you do. We appreciate it.” According to Rocky View Schools’ April 2025 capital plan, new school projects are only built after the Government of Alberta approves funding, a process that typically takes three to four years from approval to opening. The plan lists six projects in Airdrie: a Grade 7–9 school in Cobblestone Creek with capacity for 1,045 students scheduled to open in spring 2026; a K–9 in South Windsong with capacity for 905 students slated for fall 2027; a K–9 in Bayview with 905 spaces in fall 2028; a new high school in Southwinds with space for 1,810 students expected to open in fall 2029; a K–9 in Lanark with 950 spaces in planning; and a K–9 in Wildflower/Vantage Rise that appears under RVS’s “2028 Budget Request” with no confirmed opening date. Policing debate One local resident told the panel he preferred a regional model. “I’m not really in favour of a provincial police service, but more of a regional service,” he said. “So for example, when I lived in Airdrie, I had some issues where I needed to rely on the RCMP, but because the perpetrator was in Calgary, there were a lot of interoperability issues, and I didn’t get the satisfaction I needed. And talking with Lacombe County councillor, I expressed my views that rather than using the sheriffs, local policing should be a regional service for the county, and that’s maybe the model we need to look at. And the reason I feel that way is, if I have an issue with the police conduct, I don’t need to be going all the way to Edmonton to try to express my views. I want to be able to knock on my councillor’s door and say, hey, why is this county Mountie sitting at the old folks’ home in Acton for hours on end instead of out there patrolling?” Another speaker warned a provincial force would add costs, calling it “another group of provincial employees when our province isn’t providing existing employees and services, for instance, in health care and for education.” Hon. Bruce McDonald, KC, a former justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta and a member of the Alberta Next Panel, reminded the hall that Alberta had once run its own force. “Alberta did have its own provincial police from 1917 to 1932. Now that came about because in 1916 the province passed the law regarding prohibition, and the RCMP, which was contracted to be the provincial police force of Alberta, was directed by their superiors in Ottawa not to enforce that act. And so that led to a real dispute between the government in Edmonton and the government in Ottawa, with the result that on very short notice, the RCMP was withdrawn from the province entirely. And this left the government of the day very short notice to establish its own police force, which it did — the Alberta Provincial Police. And they ended up becoming a very professional and highly regarded police force by the people of Alberta. Now, unfortunately, 1932 comes around, depths of the Depression. The province is effectively bankrupt. So the force was closed down, not for any operational issues, because it was working well, but it just was no more money. And then the RCMP came back. But during its existence, it was a very good, professionally run, made-in-Alberta police service.” Smith said the province already owns RCMP detachments and equipment. “We pay the RCMP for 1,910 officers, they only have about 1,400 on staff at any given time because of vacancies and holes and RCMP officers getting pulled into other jurisdictions for federal priorities. We have done an assessment of our current sheriff complement, and we believe about 1,200 of them will be able to be part of this new police service immediately, half of them as police, half as peace officers, with the pathway to becoming police. So we’re almost at about equivalent right now with where we are.” Panellist Stephen Buffalo highlighted First Nations policing models: “The Blood Tribe, the biggest reserve in Canada, has its own police force. And as well, the Tsuut’ina Nation, which is just beside Calgary, they have their own force. And I know Siksika Nation is working on doing something as well. And they have wheels on the ground, so to speak. And this is about safety for the communities. Obviously, proof is there that it can work, and it’s just the ability of working with all of the parties involved to make sure that something works for everybody.” Smith also pointed to Grande Prairie: “Instead of having 55 RCMP officers when they go to their full complement next year, it’ll be 90, and they have a plan to grow to 110. And in addition to that, when they did a call for resumes, they had 200 people apply for the job. And so part of it is that the way in which the RCMP recruits, they’re a bit of a paramilitary-style organization. They deploy almost in a military style, where they’re here for a few years and then they get moved around. That is maybe one of the reasons why when people want to police in their own community, they may not be as interested in applying for the RCMP as they might be interested in applying for a local or regional force. At least that was the experience in Grande Prairie.” The National Police Federation, the union representing about 20,000 RCMP Members across Canada including about 3,100 in Alberta, has argued against replacing the RCMP. A June 2024 survey it commissioned found half of Albertans opposed to a new provincial service and a quarter unsure, while 86 per cent wanted to keep the RCMP, some with improvements. On its website, the NPF points to federal cost-sharing that saves Alberta taxpayers more than $180 million annually and warns a provincial service could cost $372 million in start-up costs and $164 million more each year to operate, rising to about $650 million by 2025 with inflation. Equalization and federal transfers The Equalization program drew some of the strongest exchanges at the town hall. One resident said: “On October 18, 2021, there was a referendum on equalization payments forwarded to Albertans to vote on 290 municipalities … that was a 61.88% favour.” Another said: “I’ve actually felt that the equalization was something that allowed smaller provinces to be able to fulfill their provincial jurisdiction and not need to lobby the federal government. But my concerns right now are that the federal government is still interfering in our jurisdictions, so it feels like the grand bargain is not working.” A third speaker pointed to Quebec. “They are lowering their effective tax base, they’re offering tax incentives. They’re not developing their resources the way we are in Alberta. … Quebec has a $7 a day daycare. My daughter is paying 1000s of dollars for her daycare, and they would have a budget deficit if they had no transfer payments.” Economist Trevor Tombe, a member of the panel, told the hall that equalization formulas could be distorted by policy choices. “Best example is Quebec hydro prices. Quebec sells electricity to its residents at rates that are much, much lower than other provinces. … If they were to just increase that by two cents … the equalization payment would fall by a little over $4 billion this year.” Some challenged the entire premise. “I just want to say that this panel is reeking of nothing but separation,” one resident said. Another asked: “Why is the membership being force fed a principle that was rejected by the grassroots membership at the founding AGM of this party?” At the end of the segment, moderator Bruce McAllister called for a show of hands. “Should Alberta take a lead role … Who says yes? Who says no? And the yeas have it.” Equalization is entrenched in Section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982: “Parliament and the Government of Canada are committed to the principle of making equalization payments to ensure that provincial governments have sufficient revenues to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation.” According to the Government of Canada, Equalization is financed entirely from federal general revenues collected through federal taxes. Provinces make no direct contributions, and payments are unconditional, meaning receiving provinces are free to spend the money according to their priorities. The territories do not receive Equalization, but are funded separately through Territorial Formula Financing. A September 2024 Hill Study from the Library of Parliament reported that seven provinces were entitled to Equalization in 2024–25, with total payments of $25.3 billion, or 4.7 per cent of federal expenditures. Quebec received the largest share at $13.3 billion, accounting for 52.7 per cent of the total, while Prince Edward Island received the highest per-capita amount at $3,718. Ontario’s per-capita payment was lowest at $38. Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia did not qualify because their fiscal capacity was above the national average. Parliament most recently renewed the program in 2023, extending it until March 31, 2029. Finance Canada’s monthly transfer tables show Equalization is paid twice a month in 24 equal installments under the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. In August 2025, the tables show Quebec received $565.3 million in each of two payments, Manitoba $195.3 million, Nova Scotia $144.4 million, New Brunswick $130.1 million, Prince Edward Island $27.8 million, Ontario $22.7 million and Newfoundland and Labrador $4.7 million. Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia received no Equalization payments. Alberta Pension Plan debate The conversation also turned to pensions, another of the government’s proposals for asserting provincial control. Andrew Judson, vice-chair of the Fraser Institute (Prairies), told the hall: “Contribution rates fall, benefits rise.” One resident said: “The Canada Pension Plan belongs to Canadians. It does not belong to a province. My concern with your approach is that you have disregarded, once again, the needs of low-income seniors. You’ve suggested that a $10,000 bonus be given. You give $10,000 to a low-income senior, they lose their GIS. They also lose the Alberta seniors benefit.” Smith replied that public buy-in was essential. “We wouldn’t move forward with negotiations until we had a referendum,” she said. Smith argued Alberta could claim a large share of CPP (Canada Pension Plan) assets. She cited the government-commissioned analysis prepared by Morneau Shepell (LifeWorks) in August 2023, which estimated Alberta’s entitlement at up to $334 billion. “The number that came back was as high as $334 billion,” she said. Smith stressed that even without Ottawa’s full payout, Alberta could still succeed. “We would only need about $20 billion to make sure a stand-alone plan is solvent. So even if Ottawa fights us, even if they don’t give us the $300 billion we’re owed, we’d still be able to run it.” She also criticized CPP’s performance. “They’ve just been underperforming for the last number of years,” she said. According to the LifeWorks report, Alberta’s potential entitlement was calculated at $334 billion from the Base CPP and $16 billion from the Additional CPP, reflecting the province’s younger population, higher pensionable earnings and higher employment rates. The report said Alberta’s contributions had long exceeded the benefits its residents received. LifeWorks cautioned that setting up a stand-alone plan would involve transition risks ranging from legislation and negotiations with Ottawa and Quebec to building administrative capacity. The province would have three years after giving formal notice to establish the plan. Setup costs were estimated at between $100 million and $1 billion for non-investment functions and $75 million to $1.2 billion for investment management, with ongoing non-investment costs projected at $100 to $150 million annually. Public opinion has previously been divided. A Leger poll conducted Jan. 12–15, 2024, found 40 per cent of Albertans supported an APP, down from 45 per cent in October, while 48 per cent opposed. Only 30 per cent said they agreed with the government’s plan overall. Support was highest among younger respondents, with 24 per cent of those aged 18–34 in favour, compared to 17 per cent among those 55 and older. Immigration reform McAllister introduced the segment by saying: “Next up is immigration. Should Alberta take more control over immigration, or is the current system fine as it is?” Under Canada’s Constitution, immigration is a shared responsibility between Ottawa and the provinces. Alberta already has agreements with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, including the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which nominates workers and entrepreneurs for permanent residence to fill labour shortages or start businesses. MLA Glenn van Dijken said immigration needed to fit Alberta’s rural realities. “We’ve got to make sure we’re attracting people not just to Calgary and Edmonton, but also to the rest of the province, because our farms and small businesses can’t survive without that labour.” Michael Binnion tied the issue to affordability. “If housing prices keep going the way they are, and if jobs don’t match the people coming in, then we’re setting ourselves up for failure.” Another panellist said: “Immigration is the fabric of Alberta, and let’s face it, we all contribute equally. But the question is, if Alberta also becomes unaffordable, where do we go from here? Where do our children and grandchildren find a stable job?” Smith replied: “Taking more control doesn’t mean we’re shutting our borders. It means we can better plan for housing, schools, and employment, and ensure newcomers are supported while the province grows.” Tax collection The panel also put tax collection on the table. McAllister asked: “Should Alberta, like Quebec, collect its own income tax rather than relying on the CRA?” Hon. Bruce McDonald, KC, told the audience: “The Constitution doesn’t say who collects taxes. The provinces have the right to collect their own.” Andrew Judson said collecting taxes in Alberta could reduce red tape. “If we did this ourselves, we could simplify the system for businesses, save on compliance costs, and make Alberta more competitive.” Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta, told the hall Alberta could consider Quebec’s approach. “It does give you another lever,” he said. Under current law, Albertans file both federal and provincial personal income taxes through the CRA. Alberta’s Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act, 2023 prohibits raising personal or corporate income tax rates, or cutting basic credit thresholds, without approval in a provincial referendum. The province promotes its system as the “lowest overall taxes in the country.” For 2025, Alberta will introduce a new eight-per-cent personal income tax bracket on the first $60,000 of income, which Treasury Board and Finance says will save individuals up to $750 a year. The general corporate rate is set at eight per cent, the lowest among provinces. The next Alberta Next town hall is scheduled for Sept. 29 in Calgary. Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com. You can also message and follow us on Twitter: @AIR1061FM. DiscoverAirdrie encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverAirdrie app.