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Alberta

Writ drops for Alberta provincial election on May 29

Published

1 year ago

5 minute read

United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith, centre, speaks at a campaign launch rally in Calgary, on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Smith is expected to call a provincial election during an announcement later this morning in Calgary. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Calgary

Writs issued for the 2023 Provincial General Election

Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Glen Resler, confirms that Writs were issued today to administer elections across Alberta. The 31st Provincial General Election will be held on May 29, 2023.

Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Glen Resler, confirms that Writs were issued today to administer elections across Alberta.  The 31st Provincial General Election will be held on May 29, 2023.

“We are excited to welcome Albertans back to the polls this month,” said Resler. “Returning Officers have been appointed, and we are in the process of recruiting and training nearly 20,000 Election Officers to conduct voting in the 87 electoral divisions across the province.”

Voter Eligibility

Canadian citizens who reside in Alberta and are at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day are eligible to vote in the Provincial General Election.

Voter Registration

Electors may register to vote online at www.voterlink.ab.ca until May 17, 2023, by contacting Elections Alberta or their local returning office before 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 20.

Electors can also register to vote at any advance voting location in Alberta or at their assigned voting place on Election Day.

Electors who are already registered to vote at their current address do not need to register again.

Voter Identification

To vote in the 2023 Provincial General Election, electors are required to prove their identity and current address.  There are several ways to do this, including:

  • Providing one piece of Government-issued photo ID, including the voter’s full name, current address, and a photo.
  • Providing two pieces of ID, both containing the voter’s full name and one that lists their current physical address.
  • Having another registered elector with identification that resides in their voting area vouch for them.
  • Having an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.

More than 50 different types of identification have been authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer to be used as identification to vote.

Key Timelines

Electors have 28 days to vote by Special Ballot beginning today.  Special Ballots may be completed in the returning office, picked up by a designate of the elector, or mailed to the elector anywhere in the world.  Applications can be submitted online on the Elections Alberta website.

Candidate nominations are now open and end on May 11, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

Advance voting begins on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, and ends on Saturday, May 27, 2023.

Election Day is Monday, May 29, 2023.  All voting places will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Unofficial results will be available after voting closes on Election Day.

Official results will be announced on June 8, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

Returning Offices

Returning offices in all electoral divisions open today across Alberta. Returning offices are open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on Voting Days from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Returning Office addresses and contact information can be found at: https://elections.ab.ca/current-election-information/returning-offices/

New for 2023, Satellite Offices are also being opened in six geographically large electoral divisions to provide more service options for electors.  These include:

  • 54 – Cardston-Siksika
  • 55 – Central Peace-Notley
  • 59 – Drumheller-Stettler
  • 60 – Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche
  • 77 – Peace River
  • 80 – Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre

Satellite Offices are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and on Voting Days from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For any questions or concerns regarding the provincial election, visit www.elections.ab.ca, call 1-877-422-VOTE, or email [email protected].

Information for media will be available throughout the election period at https://www.elections.ab.ca/resources/media/, including:

  • Information sheets on topics such as Registering to Vote, Voter Identification, Accessible Voting and Tabulators and Voter Assist Terminals.
  • Photo and video assets.
  • Processes for accessing a voting place on voting days.

Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections, and referenda.

Related Topics:

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Pharmacist-led clinics improve access to health care: Lessons from Alberta

Published on May 15, 2024

By

News release from the Montreal Economic Institute

In Canada, 35 per cent of avoidable emergency room visits could be handled by pharmacists.

Emulating Alberta’s pharmacist-led clinic model could enhance access to primary care and help avoid unnecessary emergency room visits, according to a new study from the Montreal Economic Institute.

“Pharmacists know medication better than anyone else in our health systems,” explains Krystle Wittevrongel, senior public policy analyst and Alberta project lead at the MEI. “By unlocking their full potential in prescribing and substituting medications, Alberta’s pharmacist-led clinics have helped avoid tens of thousands of unnecessary emergency room visits.”

Pharmacists in Alberta have the largest prescribing authority in the country, including the ability to prescribe schedule one drugs with special training.

Unlike in Ontario and Manitoba, Alberta pharmacists are authorized to substitute prescribed medications, which can help address issues such as adverse reactions caused by interaction with other treatments.

The study explains that this can help reduce pressure on hospitals, as prescription-related issues account for more than 10 per cent of emergency room visits.

Alberta’s first pharmacist-led clinic, in Lethbridge, sees between 14,600 and 21,900 patients per year since opening in 2022.

It is expected that there will be 103 such clinics active in the province by the end of 2024.

The researcher also links the success of the pharmacist-led clinic model in Alberta to pharmacists’ expanded scope of practice in the province.

Among other things, Alberta pharmacists are able to order and interpret lab tests, unlike their counterparts in British Columbia, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

A 2019 peer-reviewed study found that pharmacists could handle 35 per cent of avoidable emergency room visits in Canada.

“By enabling pharmacists to play a larger role in its health system, Alberta is redirecting minor cases from emergency rooms to more appropriate facilities,” said Wittevrongel. “Just imagine how much faster things could be if pharmacists could take care of 35 per cent of the unnecessary load placed on Canada’s emergency rooms.”

The MEI study is available here.

* * *

The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal and Calgary. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policy-makers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship. 

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Alberta

Province announces next step to revamped health care system

Published on May 14, 2024

By

Setting the foundation for a refocused health system

Proposed legislation would support the refocusing of Alberta’s health care system to ensure Albertans get the care they need when and where they need it.

On Nov. 8, 2023, Alberta’s government announced plans for a refocused health care system to ensure patients are receiving the care they need, when and where they need it. To achieve this, Alberta’s government will be creating four new organizations, one for each priority health services sector: acute care, primary care, continuing care and mental health and addiction.

If passed, the Health Statutes Amendment Act would enable the government to take the necessary next steps to refocus the province’s health care system. The legislation would ensure Albertans have a system that works for them by prioritizing their need to find a primary care provider, receive urgent care without long waits, have access to the best continuing care options and obtain excellent mental health and addiction treatment.

“We are taking another step toward improving health care by updating legislation and enabling the governance and oversight required to refocus the health system. The critical improvements to transparency and accountability will help support the successful refocusing of the health care system to one that is responsive, effective and reflects the needs and priorities of Albertans today and for future generations.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

The Health Statutes Amendment Act will enable the transition from one regional health authority, Alberta Health Services, to an integrated system of four sector-based provincial health agencies including primary care, acute care, continuing care and mental health and addiction. The agencies will be responsible for delivering integrated health services, ensuring Albertans receive timely access to care, regardless of where they live.

The Health Statutes Amendment Act establishes roles for an oversight minister and sector minister. The Minister of Health will take on the role of oversight minister, responsible for setting the strategic direction of the overall health system. A sector minister will be responsible for a specific health services sector. For example, the sector minister for Recovery Alberta is the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. On the recommendation of the oversight minister, additional health service sectors may be established and designate a minister responsible for that newly created sector.

Enhanced government oversight will help Alberta’s government to better direct resources to the front lines where they are needed the most, improve patient care overall and support health care professionals.

“Mental health and addiction have been growing issues within our society and need to be prioritized within our health care system. Amid an addiction crisis, a refocused health system will allow for mental health and addiction services to get the attention, oversight and focus they need. Recovery Alberta would allow for improved mental health and addiction care across the province as an important part of an integrated health system.”

Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

“Refocusing Alberta’s healthcare system is a crucial step towards ensuring that we can deliver a framework that prioritizes accessibility, accountability, and patient-centered care. By streamlining operations, improving oversight and fostering collaboration, we are setting a strong foundation for a healthcare system that is better equipped to address the diverse needs of each of our communities.”

Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

The legislation will enable the minister of health to transfer employees or classes of employees from AHS to the new sector-based organizations, once established. During the transition period, AHS will be enabled to continue operating as a regional health authority. Employee transfers will be seamless, maintaining existing bargaining relationships and collective agreements. This will ensure stability for the workforce, unions and government as the health system refocus is implemented. There will be no job losses for staff who transition into the new organizations.

Amendments to be made to existing legislation

The Health Statutes Amendment Act includes amendments to the Regional Health Authorities Act and the Health Information Act, which have not been updated since the 1990s.

As part of these amendments, the name of the Regional Health Authorities Act will change to the Provincial Health Agencies Act. The amended Provincial Health Agencies Act will remove outdated references to allow the transition from a single regional health authority to a unified, sector-specific provincial health system. This will clarify the scope and accountabilities of provincial health agencies and health service providers going forward.

The amendments will also place responsibility on the provincial health agencies for operational planning and oversight of clinical service delivery across the province. This will enable provincial health agencies to set priorities in the provision of health service delivery. The agencies will also be tasked with sharing information and collaborating closely to support seamless patient care as the transition to the refocused health care system takes place.

Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring that patient information continues to remain safe and secure through this transition. Amendments to the Health Information Act will be introduced to support the new health system refocus and to support the establishment of the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence. These amendments will allow the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction, the four new provincial health agencies, the Health Quality Council of Alberta and Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence to have the authority to use health information for health system purposes.

If passed, the Health Statutes Amendment Act will enable Recovery Alberta, the mental health and addiction provincial health agency, to begin operating in the summer of 2024. The primary care, acute care and continuing care provincial health agencies are expected to be established in the fall.

Quick facts

  • Consequential amendments are changes made to existing legislation due to new legislation being passed. These amendments are necessary to ensure legislative alignment with the proposed amendments to the Regional Health Authorities Act.
    • To support the Regional Health Authorities Act amendments and ensure alignment, 43 other acts are being consequentially amended – for example, to replace references to “regional health authority” with “provincial health agency” where necessary.
  • AHS will remain a key provider of health services, and in fall 2024 will transition to focusing on the provision of acute care services.
  • Alberta’s government introduced the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence Act which, if passed, will establish the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE) as a public agency that would support the Government of Alberta, including Mental Health and Addiction, and Recovery Alberta in advancing the Alberta Recovery Model.

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