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Albertans will go to the polls on May 5 in a provincial election that is both a year early and long-expected.

After meeting with Lt.-Gov. Donald Ethell at the provincial legislature, Premier Jim Prentice announced the election Tuesday in front of a packed room of supporters at an Edmonton community hall.

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Prentice had signalled for months he intended to call an election to gain a mandate for the Progressive Conservative government’s budget — released March 26 with spending cuts and tax hikes — despite provincial legislation fixing the next election date between March 1 and May 31, 2016.

“Tough choices need to be made and our province needs a plan, needs a realistic plan, for the immediate challenges we face and also for the long term,” he told supporters.

“Our government has put forward a 10-year plan and Albertans now need the opportunity to judge that plan.”

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Prentice said Alberta is at a turning point with falling oil prices and he needs a mandate to implement fiscal changes that were introduced in the budget, such as a new health-care levy and increases to liquor and gasoline taxes.