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CUPE gives Alberta budget thumbs down

CUPE Alberta president DArcy Lanovaz thinks this week’s provincial budget short changed kids, public schools and ambulance services.

Lanovaz says a $200 million increase for infrastructure won’t be enough to help CUPE Alberta’s 5,000 school board workers keep schools clean and safe.

The Calgary public school division alone has $400 million backlog in facility maintenance work, he says. In Edmonton, there are actually fewer people cleaning and maintaining schools today then there were in 1993.

Lanovaz also said the province will leave municipalities picking up most of the $120 million annual cost of ambulance service after transferring only $55 million.

Lanovaz said the government missed a chance to implement Learning Commission recommendations on junior and full day kindergarten. Their continued refusal to do so, along with their position against a national child care program, means they have again failed parents and children.

Lanovaz says a $200 million increase for infrastructure won’t be enough to help CUPE Alberta’s 5,000 school board workers keep schools clean and safe.

The Calgary public school division alone has $400 million backlog in facility maintenance work, he says. In Edmonton, there are actually fewer people cleaning and maintaining schools today then there were in 1993.

Lanovaz also said the province will leave municipalities picking up most of the $120 million annual cost of ambulance service after transferring only $55 million.

Lanovaz said the government missed a chance to implement Learning Commission recommendations on junior and full day kindergarten. Their continued refusal to do so, along with their position against a national child care program, means they have again failed parents and children.