Alberta election fact check: Fact vs fiction at the leaders’ debate

UCP Leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley addressed issues like affordability, health care, the economy, education and trust in leadership.

Thursday night’s debate ahead of the provincial election featured a pair of veteran politicians taking verbal jabs at each other.

UCP Leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley addressed issues like affordability, health care, the economy, education and trust in leadership.

And while both leaders appeared to land solid points and counterpoints in their arguments, there were a number of questionable talking points used by both.

Let’s look at some of the claims.

Editor’s note: A number of claims were made about the management of the province’s health-care system, claims which will be added to this story at a later date.

Notley said under the current UCP government, “most Albertans’ utility bills look more like a mortgage payment.”

CMHC data from Q1 2023 shows the average mortgage payment for Edmonton was $1,509 and Calgary was $1,615.

Some Albertans have come forward to the media with utility bills of as much as $2,700.