Economy takes front seat at Notley, Ceci pre-budget town hall in Fort McMurray

The economy was front and centre at a pre-budget town hall meeting in theoilsands capital of Fort McMurray Friday hosted byAlberta Premier Rachel Notley and Finance Minister Joe Ceci.

• Fort McMurray and the Canadian boom-to-bust experience
• Fort McMurray: Below the Surface

"I know things are tough in Fort McMurray," Notley said in response toWood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake's question about "cracking the diversification nut."

"I know this is ground zero," Notleysaid.

Notleysaid the Alberta governmenthas made $2 billionavailable tosmall businesses to create jobs.

One Albertanasked why the government isn'tmaking more cutbacks duringa time when so manypeople are losing their jobs.

"We are not going to restore the price of oil by laying off teachers, by laying off nurses,"Notleysaid to applause from the audience.

The trip is the premier's first to the oilsands region since her NDP government was elected last May.

CBC coveredthe event with reporter Laura Osmanlive bloggingfrom Fort McMurray.

FortMcMurray'seconomy has been hit hard since the price of oilbegan its precipitous descent, resulting inthousands of job losses.

Experts have predictedthat theeconomy towers will over traditional budget concerns, such as health and education spending, withjobs, diversification and infrastructure spending at the top of the list.

• Alberta budget: Economy could trump health and education
• Finance minister warns of looming $10-billion deficit budget

Cecihassaid heexpects the economy tocontinue to slide in 2016, but could see slight growth in 2017.

Thegovernment expectsto table a budget with a $10.4-billion deficitin early April, but Ceci has said hewill not react to the crisiswith layoffs or "knee-jerk cuts."

Friday's visitto Fort McMurraybegan with atour of the Science and Tech Centre atFatherMercrediHigh School before Notley and Cecimetwith the municipal council.

Following the town hall, the two will attend a roundtable with community organizations.