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News from the Legislature Alana DeLong, MLA This month I had the opportunity to visit many seniors groups during Seniors Week. This is always an exciting time for me to meet so many new faces and reacquaint myself with friends. I am very proud of the commitment seniors have to our communities.
West Nile Virus: As part of its overall West Nile virus response, the government has committed $4m to help municipalities direct their mosquito control efforts against mosquitoes most likely to carry the virus. In 2003, 275 human cases of West Nile infection were reported in Alberta. 439 birds, 172 horses and 31 mosquito pools also tested positive. Most of this activity occurred in the southern half of the province and specifically in the southeast corner of the province. The government will be working with municipalities to develop mosquito control programs and to ensure their funding is in place to begin the application of larvicide early in the mosquito breeding season. More information for job seekers goes online: Are you wondering what you can expect to earn in the Alberta job market or which occupations require special qualifications? Two new online services, CERTinfo and WAGEinfo show certification and registration requirements for over 60 Alberta occupations, and wage and salary ranges for 497 occupations. For more information visit: CERTinfo - www.alis.gov.ab.ca/certinfo; WAGEinfo - www.alis.gov.ab.ca/wageinfo; www.alis.gov.ab.ca; or call the toll-free Career Information Hotline at 1-800-661-3753 or come in to your nearest Alberta Human Resources and Employment office. Alberta's Corporate Tax Rates Will Be Reduced Under Bill 27: The Alberta Corporate Tax Amendment Act 2004 is expected to save Alberta businesses $142m this year and ensure Alberta continues to have among the lowest business taxes in Canada. Alberta's business tax reduction strategy will continue this year with the general corporate income tax rate falling from 12.5 % to 11.5 %, and the small business rate being reduced from 4 % to 3 %. In addition to these changes, Alberta businesses pay no provincial capital tax, payroll tax, sales tax and the lowest gasoline tax in the country. Alberta Works Focuses On Training People For Employment: A new initiative, Alberta Works, will build on Alberta's success at helping unemployed people find, train for and keep jobs. It will support people when they move into the workforce, help families cover their basic costs of living, and help employers get the skilled workers they need. Alberta Works will also harmonize the benefits provided through three programs - Supports for Independence (SFI), Skills Development Program (SDP) living allowances and Widows' Pension. Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) will continue as a separate program. In 2004/05, the Alberta government will invest over $617 million into the Alberta Works initiative, a cost-neutral program designed to produce better results. Alberta Works implements the recommendation of the MLA Committee to Review Low Income Programs to move to an integrated system of supports and the Skills Investment Strategy, which focuses on sending people to the right courses at the right time and getting them into the workforce. $51 Million Allocated For More Affordable Housing: Through Budget 2004, $51.24 million has been allocated to foster the development of more affordable housing in the province through the Canada-Alberta Affordable Housing Program. This funding brings the affordable housing funding commitment to over $109 million since the federal/provincial program agreement was signed in June 2002. To date, approximately 1,000 new affordable housing units have been generated through the Canada Alberta Affordable Housing Program. For more information on the Canada-Alberta Affordable Housing Program, visit the Alberta Seniors website at www.seniors.gov.ab.ca
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