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Alberta’s deficit was $2.1 billion less in 2018-19 than estimated in the last provincial budget, according to the latest government numbers.

The $6.7-billion deficit is significantly lower than in the budget laid out by the NDP in March 2018. It was the last budget tabled before the April provincial election that saw the UCP win a majority victory.

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But Finance Minister Travis Toews said the annual report released Friday shows “irresponsible overspending” by the previous government.

NDP Deputy Leader Sarah Hoffman countered that the deficit was even smaller than the province forecast in February’s third-quarter financials.

“We thought it would be $1.9 billion smaller and it ended up being $2.1 billion smaller, so this is really the … last update about the NDP’s track record on the economy,” she said.

“The financials were well intact and we were actually moving a little bit faster towards a path to balance.”