According to Stephen Mandel, the Alberta Health Minister, has said that he has not heard a lot of complaints when it comes to the newly introduced health tax which was revealed in the 2015 budget. Dr. Bob Turner, the NDP opponent that Mandel will be facing to try to hold on to his seat, says otherwise and has called the health tax a disaster. According to Mandel “We focus on that there’s no front-line services being cut, it’s just about dealing with the realities of bureaucracy and process and where the improvements are. Both Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services can be more efficient. Surprisingly, not a lot of complaints about the health tax. Most people understand and appreciate that it’s very scalable.”

Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel says the health tax is not a matter of big concern, but Turner says that he is hearing differently from people that he is talking to. Turner explained “They’re saying that it’s not fair, that people who are in the middle-class are paying a significant proportion of their income on that health care levy whereas corporations and the really high earners aren’t paying their fair share.” Starting on July 1, 2015, residents of Alberta will be required to pay a Health Care Contribution Levy if their income is more than $50,000 each year. This levy goes up in $200 increments until reaching a cap of $1,000. It is estimated that the health tax will affect 1.1 million people who live and work in Alberta.