A provincial housing strategy and an oilsands royalties review top the agenda for Premier Ed Stelmach and Tory MLAs during a two-day caucus retreat in Calgary that starts Monday.

Stelmach says the agenda will include discussions about government priorities in the short and long term.

Most notably, he wants a discussion about a provincial housing strategy. He also hopes to get a better idea of how to proceed with a review of royalty revenues the province receives from companies operating in Alberta's oilsands.

The review is the responsibility of Finance Minister Lyle Oberg, who says they're still deciding whether the committee should be made up of experts in the oil sector or a public panel.

Oberg said he will put the review together early next month and believes it will take about a year to complete.

Stelmach says he's hoping for a co-operative atmosphere at the caucus retreat following the appointments to cabinet last month.

"Everybody had some time over the holidays, and came to grips with the change in government and the downsizing and some of the issues, but I'm really looking forward to working with my caucus members."
 
He also hopes to work on improving relations between the caucus and the party.

In the past, there have been complaints from Tory party members that policies forwarded at annual general meetings were ignored by the government.