knee-replacement hospitalizations
$10,403 mean Alberta inpatient cost
Alberta's 2026 referendum
$134,300,000
What else could Alberta buy?
That total combines a reported up-to-$130 million referendum estimate, a $4 million government advertising campaign, and a reported $300,000 referendum website contract.
$130Mreported referendum estimate
$4Mgovernment ad campaign
$300Kreferendum website
At a glance
Pick what $134.3 million looks like.
hip-replacements
$11,388 mean Alberta inpatient cost
family doctors for 5 years
Using the Alberta median family-physician annual wage reported by Job Bank
teachers for 5 years
Using Alberta's $200M / 1,400-teacher program ratio
registered nurses for 5 years
Using midpoint AHS RN base pay
educational assistants for 5 years
Using Alberta's average annual EA salary
long-term-care beds
Using the 144-bed Willow Square project's cost per bed as a benchmark
new continuing-care spaces
At Alberta's current $450,000-per-space capital-program cap
the two-year rural-clinic grant pool
Compared with Alberta's $6M rural clinics and community organizations fund
new modular classrooms
Using the 2026–27 modular-classroom program ratio
new modular-classroom student spaces
Using Alberta's $200M program for about 5,900 student spaces
brand new 900-student K–9 schools
Using the 905-student Nolan Hill project's $54.1M estimate
of highway repaving
Using two Alberta repaving projects totalling 79 km and $28.4M
for every public-school student
Alberta spends the least amount per student in Canada at $11,464.
Alberta general elections
The 2023 Alberta general election cost $36.75 million — about 27% of $134.3 million.
Show your work
Every number should be checkable.
These are simple comparisons, not claims that one budget could literally be transferred dollar-for-dollar into another program.
| Comparison | Source figure | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knee replacements | $10,403 mean inpatient cost | $134.3M ÷ $10,403 | 12,909 |
| Hip replacements | $11,388 mean inpatient cost | $134.3M ÷ $11,388 | 11,793 |
| Family doctors | $178,213 Alberta median annual wage | $134.3M ÷ ($178,213 × 5) | 150 doctors for 5 years |
| Teachers | $200M for 1,400+ K–9 teachers | $134.3M ÷ ($200M ÷ 1,400) ÷ 5 | 188 teachers for 5 years |
| Registered nurses | $44.56–$60.98/hour | $134.3M ÷ midpoint annual base salary ÷ 5 | ~252 nurses for 5 years |
| Educational assistants | $33,811 average annual salary | $134.3M ÷ $33,811 ÷ 5 | 794 EAs for 5 years |
| Long-term-care beds | $110M for 144 Willow Square beds | $134.3M ÷ ($110M ÷ 144) | ~176 beds |
| Continuing-care spaces | $450,000 current capital grant cap per eligible new space | $134.3M ÷ $450,000 | 298 spaces |
| Rural health clinics | $6M over 2 years for rural clinics/community organizations | $134.3M ÷ $6M | 22.4 times the grant pool |
| Modular classrooms | $200M for 194 new modulars + replacements/relocations | 194 × ($134.3M ÷ $200M) | ~130 new modulars |
| Modular student spaces | $200M for about 5,900 student spaces | 5,900 × ($134.3M ÷ $200M) | ~3,962 student spaces |
| K–9 schools | $54.1M Nolan Hill estimate (905 students) | $134.3M ÷ $54.1M | 2 complete projects + ~$26.1M |
| Highway repaving | $28.4M for 79 km across Hwy 747 and Hwy 58 projects | $134.3M ÷ ($28.4M ÷ 79 km) | ~374 km |
| Public-school students | 538,872 students in public school authorities | $134.3M ÷ 538,872 | ~$249 per student |
| General elections | $36,749,588 for 2023 election | $134.3M ÷ $36,749,588 | 3 elections + $24,051,236 |
Primary and reported sources
Sources
Referendum cost estimate
Global News, June 17, 2026: reports an estimated cost of up to $130M and Finance Minister Jason Nixon's response that the figure seemed "extremely high."
Global News ↗$4M advertising campaign
The Canadian Press via CityNews, Sept. 10, 2026: Alberta launched a $4M advertising campaign ahead of the referendum.
CityNews / Canadian Press ↗$300K referendum website
Reported contract cost for the government-operated referendum website.
Report ↗Hip and knee replacement costs
Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2023–24 Alberta mean inpatient costs: $10,403 for primary knee replacement and $11,388 for primary hip replacement.
CIHI data tables ↗Teacher funding
Government of Alberta: $200M to hire 1,400+ K–9 teachers for the 2026–27 school year.
Alberta.ca ↗Registered nurse compensation
Alberta Health Services lists RN compensation at $44.56–$60.98 per hour.
AHS ↗Nolan Hill K–9 school
Alberta Major Projects lists the 905-student Nolan Hill K–9 school at an estimated $54.1M.
Alberta Major Projects ↗2023 general election
Elections Alberta reports the 2023 Provincial General Election cost $36,749,588. Premier Danielle Smith has said she is seeking a referendum mandate for the policies on the 2026 ballot.
Elections Alberta ↗Family physician wages
Government of Canada Job Bank reports an Alberta median annual wage of $178,213 for family physicians, reference period 2023–24.
Job Bank ↗Educational assistant wages
Alberta ALIS reports an average annual salary of $33,811 for educational assistants, based on the 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey.
ALIS ↗Long-term-care bed benchmark
Alberta Major Projects lists Willow Square Continuing Care Centre at $110M for 144 long-term-care beds.
Alberta Major Projects ↗Continuing-care spaces
Alberta's current New Capacity Stream caps eligible capital funding at $450,000 per net-new continuing-care space.
Alberta.ca ↗Rural health clinics
Alberta allocated $6M over two years to rural community organizations and clinics to expand primary-care teams and capacity.
Alberta.ca ↗Modular classrooms
Budget 2026 provides $200M in 2026–27 for 194 new modular classrooms, 7 replacements and 35 relocations, creating about 5,900 student spaces.
Alberta.ca ↗Highway repaving
Two Alberta Transportation projects provide a blended benchmark: 41 km of Highway 747 for $11.1M and 38 km of Highway 58 for $17.3M.
Highway 747 ↗ Highway 58 ↗Public-school enrolment
Alberta reports 538,872 students in public school authorities as of December 2025.
Alberta.ca ↗Important
$130 million is an estimate reported publicly, not a final audited cost. The comparisons show what $134.3 million represents.