Alberta
Province twinning David Thompson Highway (#11) from Sylvan Lake to Rocky Mountain House
From the Province of AlbertaImproving David Thompson Highway and creating jobsThe Government of Alberta will twin a 66-kilometre stretch of the David Thompson Highway between Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House.This $120-million project is part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan and will create about 582 jobs, while upgrading the highway and improving traffic flow along this important recreation corridor.
The David Thompson Highway project is part of the more than $10 billion infrastructure spending announced as part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan. This spending includes: $6.9 billion Budget 2020 capital spending, $980 million accelerated for Capital Maintenance and Renewal, $200 million for Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program and water infrastructure projects, $600 million in strategic infrastructure projects, $500 million in municipal infrastructure and $1.5 billion for Keystone XL.
Alberta’s government is helping create more than 50,000 good jobs for Albertans by building schools, roads and other core infrastructure that benefits Albertans and communities. It will further diversify our economy by helping sectors grow and succeed and return investment to our province by ensuring we have the most competitive tax environment in Canada Quick facts
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Alberta
Alberta’s baby name superstar steals the show again
Olivia and Noah continue to reign as top baby names in 2023.
Olivia and Noah are once again topping the lists in Alberta, highlighting the enduring appeal of the names. Olivia maintains a record setting streak as the most popular girls name in Alberta for the 11th year in a row, while Noah remains top pick for boys’ names for a fifth consecutive year.
“Congratulations to those who welcomed a new addition to their family in 2023. Bringing a child into the world is a truly momentous occasion. Whether the name you chose was in the top 10 or one of a kind, these names are only the beginning of the endless possibilities that lie ahead for each child. I look forward to supporting this generation by ensuring Alberta remains a place where they can thrive.”
In choosing names for their new arrivals, parents appear to have found inspiration in a variety of places. Some parents may have been inspired by plants like Ivy, Rose, Juniper, Poppy, Azalea or in nature like Wren, River, Meadow and Flora.
Others may have taken a literary approach with names like Bennett, Sawyer, Juliet and Atticus or been inspired by notable names from religious texts like Eve, Noah, Mohammed and Gabriel.
As always, popular culture may have had an influence through famous musicians (Aretha, Lennon, Presley, Hendrix), athletes (Beckham, Crosby, Evander), and even fairytale princesses (Tiana, Jasmine, Aurora, Ariel, Belle).
Quick facts
- A total of 47,263 births were registered in Alberta in 2023
- Notable changes to the early 2020s lists:
- Evelyn rose to seventh place on the girls’ names list after tying for 19th place in 2022.
- Emily returned to the top 10 list for girls after taking a short break in 2021 and 2022 after a 10-year stretch in the top 10 that started in 2010.
- Violet has cracked the top 10 list for the first time in at least four decades, tying with Ava and Emily in ninth place.
- The top 10 boys’ names remain the same as last year but with a slight change in order.
- Historically, girls’ names that held the No. 1 spot for the longest consecutive time period include:
- Olivia: 11 years (2013-2023)
- Jessica: six years (1990-1995)
- Emily: five years (1998-2002)
- Historically, boys’ names that held the No. 1 spot for the longest consecutive time period include:
- Ethan: nine years (2001-2009)
- Liam: seven years (2010-2016)
- Matthew: five years (1995-1999)
- Noah: five years (2019-2023)
- Parents have up to one year to register their child’s birth. As a result, the list of 2023 baby names and birth statistics may change slightly.
Boys’ names and frequency – top 10 names 2018-23
(In brackets is the number of babies with each name)
Place | Boy Names (2023) | Boy Names
(2022) |
Boy Names (2021) | Boy Names (2020) | Boy Names (2019) | Boy Names (2018) |
1 | Noah (276) | Noah (229) | Noah (274) | Noah (239) | Noah (275) | Liam (225) |
2 | Liam (181) | Liam (176) | Jack (220) | Oliver (229) | Liam (234) | Oliver (212) |
3 | Oliver (178) | Theodore (173) | Oliver (208) | Liam (206) | Oliver (225) | Noah (199) |
4 | Theodore (173) | Oliver (172) | Liam (198) | Benjamin (182) | Ethan (213) | Ethan (188) |
5 | Jack (153) | Jack (159) | Theodore (191) | William (178) | Jack (198) | Logan (182)
Lucas (182) |
6 | Henry (146) | William (146) | William (174) | Jack (169) | William (185) | Jacob (181) |
7 | Lucas (140) | Benjamin (138) | Ethan (162) | Lucas (163) | Lucas (174) | William (178) |
Girls’ names and frequency – top 10 names 2018-2023
(In brackets is the number of babies with each name)
Place | Girl Names (2023) | Girl Names
(2022) |
Girl Names (2021) | Girl Names (2020) | Girl Names (2019) | Girl Names (2018) |
1 | Olivia (210) | Olivia (192) | Olivia (210) | Olivia (236) | Olivia (229) | Olivia (235) |
2 | Amelia (145) | Sophia (152) | Charlotte (166) | Emma (184) | Charlotte (188) | Emma (230) |
3 | Sophia
(138) |
Emma (149) | Ava (165) | Charlotte (161) | Sophia (181) | Charlotte (175) |
4 | Charlotte
(135) |
Amelia (133) | Emma (164) | Ava (159) | Emma (178) | Emily (164) |
5 | Emma (133) | Harper (125) | Amelia (161) | Sophia (151) | Ava (161) | Ava (161) |
6 | Isla (120) | Charlotte (117) | Sophia (137) | Amelia (145) | Amelia (159) | Abigail (153) |
7 | Evelyn (114) | Ava (115) | Isla (135) | Isla (133) | Emily (150) | Harper (150) |
8 | Chloe (101)
Violet (101) |
Isla (101) | Abigail (120)
Chloe (120) |
Emily (127) | Abigail (141) | Sophia (146) |
9 | Ava (99) Emily (99) |
Lily (100) | Evelyn (119) | Lily (123) | Hannah (137) | Amelia (145) |
10 | Hannah (98)
Hazel (98) |
Chloe (92) | Aria (112) | Abigail (114) | Elizabeth (124) | Elizabeth (130) |
Related information
Alberta
Alberta government should create flat 8% personal and business income tax rate in Alberta
From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
If the Smith government reversed the 2015 personal income tax rate increases and instituted a flat 8 per cent tax rate, it would help restore Alberta’s position as one of the lowest tax jurisdictions in North America
Over the past decade, Alberta has gone from one of the most competitive tax jurisdictions in North America to one of the least competitive. And while the Smith government has promised to create a new 8 per cent tax bracket on personal income below $60,000, it simply isn’t enough to restore Alberta’s tax competitiveness. Instead, the government should institute a flat 8 per cent personal and business income tax rate.
Back in 2014, Alberta had a single 10 per cent personal and business income tax rate. As a result, it had the lowest top combined (federal and provincial/state) personal income tax rate and business income tax rate in North America. This was a powerful advantage that made Alberta an attractive place to start a business, work and invest.
In 2015, however, the provincial NDP government replaced the single personal income tax rate of 10 percent with a five-bracket system including a top rate of 15 per cent, so today Alberta has the 10th-highest personal income tax rate in North America. The government also increased Alberta’s 10 per cent business income tax rate to 12 per cent (although in 2019 the Kenney government began reducing the rate to today’s 8 per cent).
If the Smith government reversed the 2015 personal income tax rate increases and instituted a flat 8 per cent tax rate, it would help restore Alberta’s position as one of the lowest tax jurisdictions in North America, all while saving Alberta taxpayers $1,573 (on average) annually.
And a truly integrated flat tax system would not only apply a uniform tax 8 per cent rate to all sources of income (including personal and business), it would eliminate tax credits, deductions and exemptions, which reduce the cost of investments in certain areas, increasing the relative cost of investment in others. As a result, resources may go to areas where they are not most productive, leading to a less efficient allocation of resources than if these tax incentives did not exist.
Put differently, tax incentives can artificially change the relative attractiveness of goods and services leading to sub-optimal allocation. A flat tax system would not only improve tax efficiency by reducing these tax-based economic distortions, it would also reduce administration costs (expenses incurred by governments due to tax collection and enforcement regulations) and compliance costs (expenses incurred by individuals and businesses to comply with tax regulations).
Finally, a flat tax system would also help avoid negative incentives that come with a progressive marginal tax system. Currently, Albertans are taxed at higher rates as their income increases, which can discourage additional work, savings and investment. A flat tax system would maintain “progressivity” as the proportion of taxes paid would still increase with income, but minimize the disincentive to work more and earn more (increasing savings and investment) because Albertans would face the same tax rate regardless of how their income increases. In sum, flat tax systems encourage stronger economic growth, higher tax revenues and a more robust economy.
To stimulate strong economic growth and leave more money in the pockets of Albertans, the Smith government should go beyond its current commitment to create a new tax bracket on income under $60,000 and institute a flat 8 per cent personal and business income tax rate.
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