The provincial government is inviting public input as it opens its budgetary consultations.

Finance Minister Craig Pardy is preparing to deliver his very first budget under the pall of a $1 billion deficit.

Pardy admits that may dampen expectations, but government is still committed to lower taxes, improving health care and building safer communities as was outlined in the PC election campaign.

He thinks that’s still achievable.

“Those three areas are going to be addressed” says Pardy by ‘spending smarter’.  He says they’re looking at the value of what’s currently being offered by government and “if it doesn’t have great value…then that’s one that we’re discussing internally here as to why we would offer it.”