Alison Redford, set to deliver her first budget as Alberta’s premier, promised Wednesday that it won’t include deep cuts to balance the bottom line, but Calgary’s mayor isn’t expecting any additions either.

“There’s certainly some fiscal realities and we certainly have a provincial election coming up,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi Wednesday. “The throne speech signaled a continuation of commitments to these things. I’m not expecting there will be any new money. I’ll certainly be happy if there is.”

Redford said that despite four-consecutive deficit budgets since 2008, the province can’t hack and slash its way out of the red.

“It’s just not necessary,” Redford told a Calgary open-line radio show.

“We can accomplish what we need to accomplish by doing the work we need to do around results-based budgeting.”

Redford has hinted that Thursday’s 2012-13 budget will once again be in the red, but said the government remains on track to have it balanced no later than 2014.

“We’ll see some signals in the budget that I think will reflect some confidence in Alberta’s economy as we go forward.”

- The Canadian Press/with files from Katie Turner