Alberta
Province enters into a unique agreement with Piikani Nation in the Castle provincial parks
From the Province of Alberta
Respecting Indigenous rights in Castle parks
The Government of Alberta has signed a historic agreement with the Piikani Nation to ensure that treaty rights, traditional practices and Indigenous knowledge are better protected and fostered in the Castle region.
To support Indigenous knowledge and culture in the Castle provincial parks, Alberta Parks and the Piikani Nation have signed Cooperative Management Terms of Reference. This is a historical first, as the province places greater emphasis on traditional activities and treaty rights in parks planning.
The Alberta Parks and Piikani Nation Management Board will provide input on
- Piikani hunting and harvesting practices such as berry-picking, personal wood-harvesting, tipi poles and willows.
- Cultural practices such as sweat lodges or other ceremonies that require privacy or seclusion.
- Access management and protection of specific cultural areas of importance.
- Interpretation and education of Piikani history and culture, including appropriate use of Blackfoot language in Alberta Parks signage and naming.
- Economic development opportunities such as retail, guiding and interpretation services.
- Training of Alberta Parks staff to ensure awareness of Indigenous rights, culture and practices.
The board will be co-chaired by two representatives, one appointed by Alberta Parks and one appointed by Piikani Chief and council. Up to six other members will be named to the board, including at least one Elder. The board will meet four times per year.
“We heard from First Nations that they often did not feel comfortable in our parks. This is a clear message that we need to do better, and do more, to foster a new and better relationship. This agreement marks a tremendous opportunity for government, Indigenous peoples, local communities and visitors to celebrate and appreciate First Nations’ rich culture in Alberta’s parks.”
The Castle Management Plan was the first time Alberta Parks included a primary objective respecting Indigenous rights and a chapter devoted to First Nations. The terms of reference create a management board that will increase cultural practices on the landscape and protect access to areas of cultural significance.
“This agreement allows Piikani to work collectively with the Government of Alberta in managing this area. It allows our people to be more interactive and to express our history and our usage of the Castle region while also ensuring our Elders and our current generation can continue to exercise cultural practices and treaty rights important to who we are as a people. It’s a historic day.”
“This agreement truly speaks to the growing relationship between our government and the Blackfoot people. It will enrich and strengthen the planning, management and operation of the Castle parks, while continuing our commitment to reconciliation and our respect for Indigenous heritage and traditional knowledge.”
The 103,000-hectare Castle Provincial Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park were established in January 2017. More than $20 million over four years has been designated in general parks planning for access routes, inclusion projects, camping, signage, picnic areas and hiking trails in the Castle parks.
(L to R) Minister Feehan, Chief Grier and Minister Phillips sign a historic agreement for Piikani Nation cooperative management in Castle parks.
Agriculture
Lacombe meat processor scores $1.2 million dollar provincial tax credit to help expansion
Alberta’s government continues to attract investment and grow the provincial economy.
The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry.
Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735.
“The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers that supply them. This facility expansion will allow Beretta Farms to increase production capacity, which means more Alberta beef across the country, and around the world.”
“This expansion by Beretta Farms is great news for Lacombe and central Alberta. It not only supports local job creation and economic growth but also strengthens Alberta’s global reputation for producing high-quality meat products. I’m proud to see our government supporting agricultural innovation and investment right here in our community.”
The tax credit provides a 12 per cent non-refundable, non-transferable tax credit when businesses invest $10 million or more in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in Alberta. The program is open to any food manufacturers and bio processors that add value to commodities like grains or meat or turn agricultural byproducts into new consumer or industrial goods.
Beretta Farms’ facility in Lacombe is a federally registered, European Union-approved harvesting and meat processing facility specializing in the slaughter, processing, packaging and distribution of Canadian and United States cattle and bison meat products to 87 countries worldwide.
“Our recent plant expansion project at our facility in Lacombe has allowed us to increase our processing capacities and add more job opportunities in the central Alberta area. With the support and recognition from the Government of Alberta’s tax credit program, we feel we are in a better position to continue our success and have the confidence to grow our meat brands into the future.”
Alberta’s agri-processing sector is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the province and meat processing plays an important role in the sector, generating millions in annual economic impact and creating thousands of jobs. Alberta continues to be an attractive place for agricultural investment due to its agricultural resources, one of the lowest tax rates in North America, a business-friendly environment and a robust transportation network to connect with international markets.
Quick facts
- Since 2023, there are 16 applicants to the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit for projects worth about $1.6 billion total in new investment in Alberta’s agri-processing sector.
- To date, 13 projects have received conditional approval under the program.
- Each applicant must submit progress reports, then apply for a tax credit certificate when the project is complete.
- Beretta Farms has expanded the Lacombe facility by 10,000 square feet to include new warehousing, cooler space and an office building.
- This project has the potential to increase production capacity by 50 per cent, thereby facilitating entry into more European markets.
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Alberta
Alberta Independence Seekers Take First Step: Citizen Initiative Application Approved, Notice of Initiative Petition Issued
Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, has issued a Notice of Initiative Petition.
This confirms a Citizen Initiative application has been received and the Chief Electoral Officer has determined the requirements of section 2(3) of the Citizen Initiative Act have been met.
Approved Initiative Petition Information
The approved citizen initiative application is for a policy proposal with the following proposed question:
Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?
The Notice of Initiative Petition, application, and statement provided by the proponent are available on Elections Alberta’s website on the Current Initiatives Petition page.
As the application was received and approved prior to coming into force of Bill 54: Election Statutes Amendment Act, the Citizen Initiative process will follow requirements set out in the Citizen Initiative Act as of June 30, 2025.
Next Steps
- The proponent must appoint a chief financial officer within 30 days (by July 30, 2025).
- Once the 30-day publication period is complete and a chief financial officer has been appointed, Elections Alberta will:
- issue the citizen initiative petition,
- publish a notice on the Current Initiatives Petition page of our website indicating the petition has been issued, specifying the signing period dates, and the number of signatures required for a successful petition, and
- issue the citizen initiative petition signature sheets and witness affidavits. Signatures collected on other forms will not be accepted.
More information on the process, the status of the citizen initiative petition, financing rules, third party advertising rules, and frequently asked questions may be found on the Elections Alberta website.
Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections, and referendums.
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