Ed Stelmach, the MLA from Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, will become premier of Alberta on Dec. 15. A look at the promises he made during his campaign:

Agriculture

  • Establish a recognized organic certification agency in Alberta.
  • Expand the capacity of the Leduc Food Processing Research Centre.
  • Develop a World Trade Organization transition program to assist farmers.
  • Protect the Alberta Treasury Branches and the Agriculture Financial Services Corp. from being sold.
  • Consult with agriculture and industry in the development of a fair and retractable land use strategy for resource extraction, municipal growth, hunting and recreation.
  • Develop a temporary assistance program called the Transition Program to help farmers establishing Alberta's bio-energy industry. 
  • Implement a renewable fuels and bio products program that would support the development of bio-diesel and ethanol refining and blending, bio-electrical generation and new bio-lubricants and bio-plastics.

Affordable housing 

  • Review government recommendations regarding social assistance rates.
  • Establish a task group of elected representatives, school boards, industry, health regions and Alberta's Urban Development Institute that would have 45 days to propose cost-effective solutions to the shortage of affordable housing.

Arts and charity

  • Increase the Alberta Tax Credit for private donations to any registered charity or educational foundation in Canada.
  • Provide matching grants from a fund of surplus royalties for philanthropic donations to Alberta charities and foundations that contribute to the social well-being of Albertans.

Education

  • Expand the system of colleges and technical institutions and set up new satellite campuses.
  • Revisit the funding formula for schools and students to make it responsive to
    rapid changes in the student population.

Environment

  • Develop a land-use framework to protect and develop the province's natural resources in a sustainable manner.
  • Work with Alberta landowners to reclaim the natural water filters — sloughs and wetlands — to protect our surface and groundwater ecosystems.
  • Promote water-use awareness programs to encourage personal conservation.
  • Support the expansion of tourism and recreation opportunities in provincial parks and recreation areas.
  • Create an Alberta Institute for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry to invest in research, technical and market solutions that will attach economic incentives to achieving environmental benefits.
  • Create "new commercial markets that give price signals" for practices like carbon dioxide sequestration, wetlands regeneration and permanent rehabilitation of marginal lands.

Finances

  • Balance the books and keep Alberta out of deficit.
  • Create a supplementary to the Canada Pension, similar to what Quebec has in place, using a specific percentage of energy royalties.

Government

  • Establish a lobbyist and contractor registry so Albertans can see who is lobbying government and who is being paid as a consultant by government to provide advice.
  • Create all-party committees to ensure the voice of all Albertans is heard in the legislature.
  • Change the sitting schedule so that MLAs have more time to consult with their constituents on important government proposals and policies.
  • Reduce the size of the provincial cabinet.

Health care

  • Work with health regions and health-care professionals to find solutions and incentives that improve a publicly funded health system.

Infrastructure

  • Give municipalities an annual amount equivalent to 100 per cent of the education property tax or $1.4 billion. The new funding will be phased in over three years and committed for an initial 10-year term.
  • Commission a new aviation strategy to determine how to improve the financial viability of smaller airports in handling passenger traffic.

Labour shortage

  • Create government-led recruiting missions across Canada and the United States to find the skilled employees.
  • Increase the number of spaces at colleges, universities and technical institutes to meet the rising demand for skilled workers.
  • Negotiate a deal with Ottawa on immigration similar to Quebec's.
  • Revisit the Provincial Nominee Program with the federal government to ensure Alberta's employers are receiving optimal benefit.

Oilsands

  • Immediately conduct a public and transparent review of the royalty revenues the province receives.
  • Develop a policy to ensure that the raw bitumen from our oilsands is processed in Alberta.

Safety

  • Increase the number of provincial Crown prosecutors, provincial judges and other key staff.
  • Ensure that Alberta's correctional facilities have enough space and staff to meet rising demands.
  • Implement recommendations from the Alberta Traffic Safety Plan to reduce the number of collisions on roads.
  • Put more police officers — especially RCMP constables — on streets and highways.

Seniors

  • Create affordable housing options that are located where seniors want to live.
  • Work with municipalities to keep property taxes low for seniors.
  • Increase the standard of care for seniors by attracting skilled workers to fill positions in seniors care facilities.
  • Speed up provision of long-term-care and assisted living accommodation to help seniors ready to move into these facilities.