What is the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (AHSTF)?

Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (AHSTF) is a trust fund which looks after the savings from the resources of Alberta, Canada. It was created in 1976 by Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, with the intention to save for the future, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of residents.

Where have you heard about the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (AHSTF)?

Alberta has historically had a thriving oil industry, and revenue from this has been used to invest in the trust, which focuses on healthcare, research and education. However, non-renewable resources were excluded from the fund’s revenue in 1987, drastically slowing its growth.

What you need to know about the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (AHSTF).

In 1987, funding into the AHSTF was halted, and during the 1990s it became unfavourable to allow governments to have access to the trust to fund special projects. In 2014 the heritage fund was only worth $17.3 billion, despite the revenue in Alberta from non-renewable resources being just under $190 billion dollars from 1980 to 2014. As of 2017 the Minister of Finance and the President of Treasury Board are wholly responsible for the fund and all the investments made.

Find out more about the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (AHSTF).

To learn how other governments have used industry profits for social causes, read about the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend.