A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says an expansion of water markets in Alberta would have adverse effects on the environment, people’s access to water, and First Nations communities.  It also recommends alternatives for dealing with Alberta’s current water crisis that would be more in keeping with Albertans’ values, and the values that underlie Alberta’s historical water laws.

The past year has seen numerous attacks on public services, democracy, and the rights of workers all under the guise of austerity and with the economic crisis as a backdrop. We have also seen mass mobilizations and organized actions in response to these attacks.

In recent months both the Premier’s Council for Economic Strategy and former Premier Peter Lougheed have emphasized the need for Alberta to stop relying on volatile energy revenues to fund public services and infrastructure.  A new report released today by the U of A’s Parkland Institute takes the conversation to the next level by discussing how we can change our tax system to accomplish that goal.

EDMONTON – In advance of the release of the 2011 Alberta Budget, one which will certainly include a significant amount of infrastructure spending, the Parkland Institute has released a new fact sheet demonstrating that infrastructure spending in Alberta is not out of control, and that in fact more is needed.

Contaminants and low water levels in the Athabasca River system are impacting treaty rights, finds a new report released today in Edmonton.

The peer reviewed study was conducted with the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Mikisew Cree First Nation. It examined traditional land and water use, and the impact of contaminants and low water levels in the lower Athabasca River system.

Despite a provincial deficit now forecast to reach $5 billion this year, a new report from the U of A’s Parkland Institute points out that Albertans have foregone tens of billions in potential revenue as a result of overly generous royalty cuts and the government’s failure to meet even its own modest targets.

A new report released this evening by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that addressing the key challenges being faced by Alberta’s health care system will require concrete action, not a new health act or charter.

CALGARY – A new report released this morning by the University of Alberta’s Parkland Institute says that Calgarians’ vision of their city requires excellent public services and infrastructure, and that City Council will need to find fair and sustainable revenue streams to pay for them.

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that the current initiative by Alberta Health Services to create an Alberta Health Act carries too many risks and should not proceed as currently conceived.  The report, the first of two in a series, is entitled “The New Alberta Health Act: Risks and Opportunities”. It was written by Parkland Research Director Diana Gibson and Vancouver-based health policy researcher Colleen Fuller.

As Alberta Health Services prepares to release its 2010 capital plan, new research released today by the U of A’s Parkland Institute makes the case for refurbishing Alberta Hospital Edmonton and not closing any acute care mental health beds. This morning the Institute released a fact sheet entitled “The Need to Redevelop Alberta Hospital” and a longer essay entitled “Living in Hope” by prominent Alberta author Curtis Gillespie.