Premier Rachel Notley creates new cabinet post devoted to economic growth

“It’s important that we have a partner dedicated to helping grow and diversify the provincial economy, so our organization is looking forward to working with government on these initiatives to help make Alberta the best place in the country to start and operate a business”.

Deron Bilous moves from the Municipal Affairs and Service Alberta portfolio to Minister of Economic Development and Trade, which is a cabinet position that hasn’t existed since 2006.

Premier Rachel Notley tweaked her cabinet Thursday by adding a new minister tasked with diversifying the province’s ailing economy.

“This is a unique effort for a unique time in Alberta’s economic story”, Notley said after a swearing-in at Government House.

“Growth used to be taken for granted, but the shock of low oil prices has lain bare how vulnerable these old attitudes have made us”, she said. “Those attitudes of entitlement end today”.

The province’s big-city mayors said Bilous’s continued role in that review will help keep it on track. Minister Sigurdson will continue her very capable leadership of the Advanced Education and Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour ministries.

Alberta, the largest source of USA crude imports, has not yet approved a budget in 2015 because the previous plan introduced by the former Progressive Conservative government was not adopted before the election campaign.

Alberta’s NDP government swore in a change of cabinet Thursday ahead of Tuesday’s provincial budget.

The forecast deficit is expected to be just under $6.5 billion.

The mini-shuffle expands Notley’s cabinet by one.

Bilous will chair a new cabinet committee, joined by Larivee and Finance Minister Joe Ceci, focused on the ongoing review of the Municipal Government Act.