CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released documents obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests today detailing the costs of the government’s roadside signs, most of which promote the ‘Building Alberta’ brand.
The documents show that during 2013, the Alberta government spent more than $1.04 million on 293 “Building Alberta” signs, at a cost of $3,560.35 each. This is a 377 per cent increase over 2012 ($219,000) and a 3,027 per cent increase over 2011 ($33,000), even though the 2013 numbers are not yet complete. The most expensive signs were purchased in 2012 at a cost of $8,000 each.
“The cost of these signs is clearly wasteful, especially when you consider the fact that the government is borrowing money to buy them,” said CTF Alberta Director, Derek Fildebrandt. “These signs are not innocent, bureaucratic bulletins. They are partisan propaganda with Premier Redford’s name emblazoned across them.”
The CTF’s documents also show ‘Building Alberta’ signs are also getting more expensive every year. In 2011, the average sign cost $2,085 a piece. Costs increased by 44 per cent per sign to $2,998 in 2012, and another 19 per cent in 2013 to $3,560. The signs are 71 per cent more expensive in 2013 than in 2011.
“It might be time to drop the ‘Building Alberta’ branding, because it’s starting to represent wasting taxpayer’s money. If I were the premier, I wouldn’t want my name on that,” concluded Fildebrandt.
The FOIP documents obtained by the CTF can be downloaded HERE.
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