Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner and Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services Matt Jones have both announced they will not seek re-election and will leave the Alberta cabinet.
In a statement posted to X, Horner wrote that when he was first offered his cabinet role, he told Alberta Premier Danielle Smith it was likely his second term would be his last.
“I remain supportive of our United Conservative Party and Premier Smith. In discussing my plans with the premier, we both felt it was important for the election year budget to be built by a member of cabinet who will be running for re-election,” Horner wrote.
Before being elected, Horner was a rancher who ran a cow calf operation. He was formerly Alberta’s agriculture minister. As finance minister, he delivered his third budget earlier this year, which forecasted a $9.4-billion deficit.
Horner said he would continue as Drumheller-Stettler MLA until the next general election.
Jones wrote that he was proud of his work while in government. In addition to hospital and surgical health services, Jones was also previously minister of children’s services, affordability and utilities, and jobs, economy and trade.
“Working to improve the healthcare of Albertans and promoting Alberta globally to attract investment and jobs have been the highlights of my career,” he wrote in a statement on X.
Jones, a former investment banker, said he would also continue on as Calgary-South East MLA at this time.
Smith thanked both departing ministers on X. She said Horner was “instrumental in strengthening Alberta’s fiscal position,” while Jones has helped “build a healthcare system better equipped to meet the needs of a growing province.”
New members of Alberta’s cabinet are set to be sworn in Thursday.
Rebecca Schulz previously resigned from cabinet, in December 2025, and was replaced by Grant Hunter as minister of environment and protected areas.
More to come.
