Provincial Finance Minister Nate Horner warned a hall full of Alberta mayors and councillors that the province’s persistent deficit woes will mean municipalities shouldn’t expect extra support in the 2026 budget.

Horner made the comments Friday at the Alberta Municipalities conference in Calgary, during a question-and-answer session with multiple ministers in Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet.

Many civic politicians came to the hall’s microphones to ask about highway upgrade projects in their regions or other infrastructure needs.

Horner warned them to temper any expectations, given the province’s currently forecast $6.5-billion deficit for the current year, lower-than-predicted oil prices and various pressures in the rapidly growing province.

With oil prices expected to stay low in c

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