If Budget 2025 is passed, the province is committing $8.5 million to help rural Albertans access essential services like gas, electricity and water.
The funding will go to the Rural Utilities Program to help communities access the services to keep lights on, homes warm and businesses in operation.
The money will be distributed to three different programs—the Rural Electric Program, Rural Gas Program and Rural Water Program.
Nathan Neudorf, minister of affordability and utilities and Lethbridge-East MLA, says supporting rural Alberta is vital to growing the economy.
“This funding is key to begin that and provide that stabilization, which is why it’s so important for our announcement today, but beyond that, we’re continuing to work on restructuring our electricity market and upgrade our transmission regulations so we have stable, reliable and affordable utilities all across our province, no matter what the future might bring,” said Neudorf.
More than 18 per cent of Albertans live in rural and remote communities.
