'It's kind of bittersweet': How some Calgarians feel about UCP government's affordability package

There's mixed reaction from residents in and around Calgary to Premier Danielle Smith's proposed affordability package announced Tuesday, which targets a large portion of its funding at parents and seniors in the province.

Part of the proposed measures offers families $600 for each child under 18 and each senior citizen in the household, as long as their combined income is under $180,000. Recipients of income support, PDD and AISH will also get the same amount.

Lee Neufled lives in Airdrie with his wife and three young children, and describes their household as middle-income. He says he'd never turn away extra cash, but he thinks it could've been spent elsewhere.

"I feel like there's better ways that our government could future-proof our province," he said in an interview on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"It's kind of bittersweet.… It's nice, I guess, but at the same time, why not attack the root of the problem as opposed to putting a Band-Aid on it?"

The UCP government announced the $2.4-billion Inflation Relief Act as a way to help Albertans face the rising cost of living. 

"Too many moms and dads are having to choose between nutritious food for their children and making their rising mortgage payments. Many seniors are choosing between filling their needed prescriptions and fuel for their vehicles," said Smith during the announcement.

"As a province, we can't solve this inflation crisis on our own, but due to our strong fiscal position and balanced budget, we can offer substantial relief so Albertans and their families are better able to manage through the storm."

Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi says he thinks the cash injection will make a big difference to some Calgarians, but he sees flaws in the way the package was designed.

"For example, a married couple with two kids who earns $175,000 a year will get $1,200, but a single person working at Tim Hortons who makes $35,000 a year will get nothing," he said in a discussion on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"If you're not going to have a universal program, it should really be focused on people who are struggling. And the simple fact of having children or being a senior isn't necessarily what makes you struggle."

Neufeld says in his case, his family doesn't need these funds immediately. As household expenses continued to rise over the past several months, they've made the necessary adjustments to make their lifestyle work.

He says he'd rather see the government's surplus saved for programs with a wider reach, such as daycare subsidies, which have allowed him and his wife to work.

"That's a way that our government has kind of future-proofed something like that to really help working parents," he said.