EDMONTON — The Alberta government plans to invest more than $500 million in new funding for seniors housing in Thursday's budget.
A source has told The Canadian Press that a small portion will be in grants, but the lion's share will be taken from $4 billion in unallocated money from the capital fund.
Lori Sigurdson, the minister for seniors and housing, would not confirm the figure, but said there will be, in her words, "a significant investment" in seniors housing.
Sigurdson says there is an estimated $1 billion worth of backlogged repairs and upgrades.
She says the funds will have a spinoff of boosting employment in the trades industry.
She says Alberta has about half a million seniors right now, but that figure is on track to double in 20 years.
