Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner says the government remains focused on controlling spending despite a tough year.

Falling oil prices and trade troubles continue to threaten Alberta’s finances, but the province’s deficit is expected to shrink only slightly.

It has been pegged at $6.4-billion, down $40-million from a projected $6.5-billion this summer.

The latest update still means this year’s budget represents a massive multibillion-dollar swing from an $8.3-billion surplus last year.

The biggest factor is a 30 per cent decline in natural resource revenue since last year.

While February’s budget projected the price of West Texas Intermediate oil – the North American benchmark – to be US$68 a barrel, the province now predicts it will average US$61.50 per barrel.

Federal budget 202

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