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Albertans will head to the polls March 3, Premier Ed Stelmach announced Monday, kicking off a 28-day election campaign that he hopes will convince voters they should extend the Progressive Conservative Party dynasty beyond its now 37-year reign.

Mr. Stelmach stood in the Legislature moments after the Throne Speech ended to say Albertans should get a say in determining the legacy for the province.

“It is now time for Albertans to exercise that right and make that decision,” he said.

Mr. Stelmach, who was elected Tory leader 14 months ago after the resignation of former premier Ralph Klein, made the widely anticipated election announcement following a Throne Speech in which his government outlined priorities for what turned out to be a legislative session cut short.

The speech, which included a reiteration of many of the previously stated priorities of the Stelmach government, included a new pledge to eliminate health-care premiums, a move Mr. Klein resisted for years, but has long been called for by the opposition parties as well as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

For years, the right-wing Tories, which have governed Alberta since 1971, strenuously resisted the idea, even as the debt-free province's coffers overflowed with oil and gas revenues.

The Tories plan to phase-out health-care premiums, which are also charged in Ontario and B.C., within four years. The premiums currently cost about $1,056 a year for families and $528 for singles.

Several groups, including Friends of Medicare and Canadian Taxpayers Federation, have repeatedly called for cuts to health-care premiums, which are collected from individuals and employers and pump close to $1-billion into the provincial treasury each year. The fee was instituted in 1969 by the Social Credit government.

The PC government also used the Throne Speech to counter criticisms it doesn't have a plan to deal with the province's explosive growth and new wealth, which has created acute housing and labour shortages. The government promised to boost savings, hire more health care workers and strengthen environmental protection for the oil sands region by developing “a strategy for responsible energy development and use in Alberta.”

“Our government has a vision for Alberta's future – and a plan to get us there,” said the address, which was read by Mr. Kwong.

Though Speeches from the Throne normally kick off new sessions of the legislature, Monday's formed the groundwork for the Progressive Conservatives' election platform.

This will be the first election test for Mr. Stelmach since he became party leader in December 2006. He replaced Ralph Klein, who retired from politics after being premier for almost 14 years.

For 37 years, the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party has governed the oil-rich province uninterrupted. And the polls are already predicting this election will give the party its 11th majority government.

However, despite a booming economy, the polls also show a large block of voters unsure about who should lead Canada's economic powerhouse next. It's also unclear whether thousands of newcomers who have flooded into the province since the boom began will influence the final outcome.

The Tories' political rivals are already planning to exploit voter volatility by pouncing on the government's age. That tactic served the right-wing Conservatives well in 1971 when the party swept another Alberta political dynasty, the Social Credit Party, out of office after 36 years on a platform promising much-needed change. Since Alberta joined Confederation in 1905, only four parties have formed governments. When political change comes, it's wholesale and the victor a party that had never governed the province before In recent days, the Tories, which have an election war chest rumoured to be in the millions, have been readying for the polls. More than $1-billion in promised spending has been announced. Mr. Stelmach even rolled out a 20-year capital plan he touted has a “very strong urban focus.” The price tag: roughly $6-billion a year.

The Tories' commitment to scrap health care premiums will be warmly received around Alberta. The party's main rival, the Alberta Liberals, was already promising to do the same thing if elected.

The commitment is included in their party platform that was officially launched last Thursday in Edmonton. Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft later told reporters to expect a “David versus Goliath” battle.

He expects the well-funded Tories, will wage an “air war” with pricey radio and television commercials.

The Liberals aren't disclosing their election budget, but the party still owes $473,000 in debts from previous campaigns.