Alberta Election 2012: Wildrose announces $2000 child tax credit
EDMONTON – Alberta parents will save $200 per child annually under a new child tax credit program that will cost taxpayers$130 milion, if the Wildrose forms the government on April 23.
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith announced the $2,000 deduction during a visit to a daycare centre in Sherwood Park, a suburban community on Edmonton’s east boundary.
Smith, who coloured a flower while joining pre-school children around a table, said she modeled the program after the federal tax credit program which she said has been “incredibly popular.”
“The $2,000 per child credit is a meaningful tax relief measure that will put money back into the pockets of Alberta families,” she said. “That’s hundreds of extra dollars for families to put towards child care, towards pee wee hockey or dance lessons or a university fund — whatever is the priority for an individual family.”
She said it was part one of a three-part Wildrose family pack. Parts two and three will be announced later in the campaign, she said.
“No matter how well intentioned the government may be, Alberta’s parents always know what is best.”
A family of four, with two children under age 18, would save $400 annually, Smith said.
However, some parents are paying that much for one or two weeks of child care.
The Progressive Conservatives say the cost is more likely to be $176 million, based on Statistics Canada numbers for children in Alberta.
They say there were 884,645 children aged 0-18 in Alberta as of July 1 last year.
“This means that the real cost of the first part of the Wildrose Family Pack would be $176,929,000,” PC officials said in a release.
They ask: “Is there fine print that leaves some families out of the Smith commitment?”
NDP Leader Brian Mason criticized the Wildrose plan, calling it “inadequate.�
“A $200-per-child tax credit is minimal. I think they’re trying to create the impression that they want to help families with kids afford the daily cost of life, but that is not going to go very far at all.�
The NDP leader said his party would cap the daily cost of child care at $25 and $9 for after-school care, and would
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Posted by RobertButler
on Mar 31 2012. Filed under 2012 Presidential Campaign.
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