As the Legislature Reconvenes, Five Ways Alberta Can Strengthen Its Innovation Economy

By Jess Sinclair
CCI Director of Prairie Affairs

Alberta MLAs returned to Edmonton today for the 2026 fall legislative sitting, after an already tumultuous political season in the province. Like many in Alberta’s business community, CCI members have raised concerns that pursuing separation from Canada would have put investment, talent retention and interprovincial trade at risk. For businesses making long-term investment decisions, predictability and access to markets are essential to growth.

On that front, I’m pleased that a majority of Albertans have chosen to remain in the country, though other referenda results on immigration and their impacts on talent attraction remain to be seen.

Now it’s time for the province’s legislators to get down to brass tacks and look to prioritizing policies that will set the province up for economic success in 2027, and beyond.

Alberta has a strong economic foundation, with competitive taxes, a growing population and an entrepreneurial business community. But to help more Alberta technology companies grow, compete globally and create high-value jobs, the province needs to connect them with the capital, customers, talent and infrastructure they need to succeed.

As the Government of Alberta prepares Budget 2027, CCI is recommending five practical measures to attract investment, improve productivity and strengthen the province’s innovation economy.

This budget carries added significance. It is the United Conservative Party (UCP) government’s final fiscal plan before the scheduled fall 2027 election. The decisions made in it will shape Alberta’s economic competitiveness, investment climate and fiscal position heading into the campaign. We’ll be looking closely at the following policies.
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1. Bring back the Alberta Investor Tax Credit

Growing technology companies need capital to develop products, hire workers and reach new markets. Without a broad-based investor tax credit, Alberta firms are at a disadvantage compared with companies in provinces that offer investment incentives, namely neighbouring British Columbia.

CCI recommends reintroducing the Alberta Investor Tax Credit, which previously provided a 30% provincial tax credit for eligible investments in approved businesses. Restoring the program would help attract private capital and give more Alberta companies the support they need to scale.
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2. Help health technologies reach more Albertans

New technologies can improve patient care and make better use of healthcare resources, but promising solutions often get stuck as pilot projects without a clear path to adoption.

CCI recommends creating an Alberta Health Innovation Pathway within Alberta Shared Services to help proven digital health solutions move from pilot project to procurement contract. The province should also develop a plan to provide qualified technology firms with access to aggregated, de-identified health data, with appropriate privacy safeguards.

A clearer path to adoption would help more Albertans benefit from new technologies while improving health-system efficiency.
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3. Make data centre investments work harder for Alberta

Alberta is attracting major data centre investments as demand for AI and computing power grows. These projects should create opportunities for local companies, not just build infrastructure.

CCI recommends strengthening Alberta’s data centre framework to encourage projects to:

• Expand access to computing power for Alberta startups, researchers and nonprofits.
• Create local testing opportunities for technologies such as advanced cooling, energy storage and predictive maintenance.
• Build local supply chains through procurement targets and support for Alberta suppliers.
• Accelerate energy innovation in areas such as grid technology, renewables, storage and waste-heat recovery.

By connecting data centre investments with local technology firms and researchers, Alberta can generate broader economic benefits and build its innovation ecosystem.
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4. Connect skilled workers with growing companies

Technology companies need specialized talent to develop products and compete globally. Smaller, growing firms often struggle to attract experienced workers in competition with larger employers.

CCI recommends aligning provincial workforce programs with the needs of scaling companies. As Alberta Innovates redesigns its technology labour-market programming, the province should create an Alberta-first hiring pool and strengthen pathways from post-secondary institutions into Canadian technology companies.

Focusing on skills such as AI, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure would help businesses find the talent they need while creating more opportunities for Albertans.
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5. Use government procurement to help Alberta technologies scale

Government can help emerging technologies reach the market by becoming an early and repeated customer. Procurement contracts allow companies to demonstrate their products, generate revenue and build the track record needed to win larger customer bases.

CCI recommends creating an Alberta Third Frontier initiative within the University of Alberta’s existing DEFENDS program to support procurement of Canadian dual-use technologies.

Initial priorities could include emergency management, environmental monitoring, transportation and logistics, and aerospace. These technologies can help address public-sector needs while supporting Alberta businesses, retaining intellectual property in Canada and creating high-value jobs.

These recommendations offer practical ways for government to support these goals through Budget 2027. By connecting major investments with local companies and creating advantageous conditions for firms to scale, Alberta can strengthen its technology sector, improve public services and build a more competitive economy.

In the coming months, we will work with the provincial government to advance these recommendations and identify practical ways to help homegrown technology companies access capital, secure customers and scale globally. Budget 2027 is an opportunity to turn Alberta’s economic strengths into a more competitive innovation economy, one that creates high-value jobs, builds globally competitive companies and ensures more of the value created here stays here.
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