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Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith marks first anniversary

Published

7 months ago

12 minute read

Premier Danielle Smith released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of being sworn in as Premier: 

“It is a tremendous honour to serve Albertans as their Premier. Alberta is truly one of the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family. Over the last 118 years, we have written an incredible story together. And I am proud that in the last year, I have had the opportunity to work with an incredible team to help write this latest chapter.
“When I was sworn into office on Oct. 11, 2022, I promised that we would not have our voices silenced or censored by Ottawa, we would address the inflation and affordability crisis driven by the fiscally destructive policies of the federal government, we would get our own fiscal house in order and balance the budget to enable us to afford to be compassionate, and we would address concerns in our public health system.
“I am proud to say that over the past 12 months, we have made significant progress for Albertans in every one of those areas.
“In the fall 2022 legislative session, we passed the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act to stand up for Alberta, Albertans and our constitutional jurisdiction. In the spring 2023 legislative session, we introduced and passed the Alberta Firearms Act to continue to strengthen Alberta’s position within Confederation. Continuing in 2023, we also released a strategy to reform the broken equalization formula, pushed the federal government on bail reform, resulting in the introduction of federal Bill C-48, and fought back against the federal government’s so-called Just Transition.
“With inflation at its worst in decades and life getting more expensive for Albertans, we provided a suite of inflation-relief measures to help families pay their bills. Because we recognized the extra difficulty on families and seniors, we provided $100 monthly payments for up to six months for every eligible child and senior, and provided an additional $10 million to food banks throughout the province to help those who were struggling most. We expanded the low-income transit pass and indexed AISH, income supports and the Alberta Seniors Benefit. We extended the pause on the fuel tax to save Albertans more money every time they fill up their tanks, while the federal government continues making life more expensive for families through their ever-growing carbon tax.
“We extended supports for Ukrainian evacuees fleeing Russia’s war in Ukraine and offered disaster support for Türkiye and Syria following the terrible earthquake. We increased pay for staff who work with persons with developmental disabilities, who had not seen increases since 2014, and we improved tax credits and grants to support families pursuing adoption. We pushed the federal government to further improve the daycare deal to better meet Alberta families’ unique needs. We opened the Bridge Healing convalescence facility for Edmonton’s vulnerable citizens to ensure they have access to the health care and community supports they need to be well.
“We extended interest-free student loans to 12 months, offering students more certainty in their personal budgeting, and we capped tuition increases so Alberta’s post-secondary institutions can retain their competitive advantage when attracting students. We paused rate increases on auto insurance to protect Albertans from premium increases when they can least afford it, and we ended the Graduated Driver Licensing program, saving drivers on their licensing costs.
“For only the fourth time in 15 years, we presented Albertans with a balanced budget in February. That budget also provided Albertans with a fiscal framework to guide future government spending, debt repayment and savings so that Alberta can continue moving forward in prosperity. We paid off $13 billion in debt, significantly reducing our annual interest payments – ¬funds that are better spent on providing the services and infrastructure Albertans need. We also added $2 billion to the Heritage Savings Trust Fund, which will increase our investment income each year and provide more fiscal stability for the province in the long term.
“Our improved finances enable us to provide additional funding for schools, hospitals and roads so Albertans have access to the infrastructure they need for a growing population. We have also provided funding to close learning gaps experienced by younger students and have expanded seats at universities in high-demand programs. To improve outdoor and recreation opportunities for Albertans and visitors, we allocated $200 million to improve the province’s campgrounds and trails.
“We are continuing to build our economy by creating an Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, building strong partnerships with other western provinces to build economic corridors that connect markets across the Prairies, expanding the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program to invite nearly 10,000 newcomers, and by creating pathways for more skills training opportunities for the most in-demand jobs in our province. At the same time, we are working with Alberta municipalities by changing the municipal funding model to provide them with funding stability and by making the payment of municipal taxes a condition of wellsite transfers.
“We are also growing relationships with Indigenous and Métis communities, which includes the signing of a new Metis Settlement Agreement. We continue to recognize the important role of Indigenous Peoples in Alberta in our economy and remain committed to ensuring they are partners in prosperity. To accomplish this, we doubled the loan capacity of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation from $1 billion to $2 billion.
“We indexed personal income taxes, so Albertans keep more of their hard-earned money to spend on the things that are important to them. We are working to increase access to halal financing, so members of Alberta’s Muslim community are better able to pursue their dreams of home ownership.
“Health care remains a top priority for Albertans and we have begun the hard work of repairing and improving our health care system. We brought in more ambulances during peak hours in Calgary and Edmonton and we fast-tracked patient transfers at hospitals to ensure our highly skilled paramedics can respond to more emergencies and do so more quickly. We introduced alternative transportation for non-urgent hospital transfers and have reduced the number of code reds that occur in the province. We have fixed problems with emergency department patient flow, helping us reduce overall hospital wait times, and we have increased our surgical capacity and are projected to eliminate the surgical backlog in the new year.
“I am proud to have addressed the concerns of many Albertans in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. We put an end to provincial mask mandates, and we replaced the chief medical officer of health and the AHS board. We established a public health emergencies governance review panel to examine the pandemic response and to recommend changes to improve how we handle potential future public health emergencies.
“We have stopped at nothing in our pursuit to improve health care services and supports for Albertans. We worked with our provincial colleagues to fight for increased federal health transfers, and I am proud to have signed a $24-billion health deal with the federal government. When our province and country faced supply issues with children’s pain and fever medication, we stepped up to ensure that parents would have access to these medications. And we honoured Alberta firefighters and the health risks they face by providing them with presumptive cancer coverage.
“In addition, we’ve prioritized recovery for those suffering from the deadly disease of addiction and from mental health challenges. We are progressing on the Alberta model and have opened recovery communities in both Red Deer and Lethbridge, with nine more on the way including four on First Nations land. We are investing in training more mental health professionals and are expanding mental health supports for children and youth in communities and schools, making sure no child is left behind.
“We recognize that public safety is another top concern for Albertans. We share that concern and are taking action to ensure all Albertans feel safe in their communities. This includes establishing public safety task forces in Edmonton and Calgary, committing to provide funding to hire 100 more police officers, increasing the scope and number of sheriffs, and increasing the number of prosecutors available in Alberta’s courts.
“Furthermore, we are introducing additional accountability measures in partnership with police services. We have passed an updated Police Act that will establish a new, independent body for investigating complaints against police, and have taken steps to mandate body-worn cameras for police. At the same time, we are working with municipalities and Indigenous communities that want to establish their own, local police services.
“In addition to this work, we have released a provincial emissions reduction strategy, created a regulatory framework for brine-hosted minerals, established an energy future panel, launched expressions of interest for hydrogen fuelling stations, introduced a new science and French curriculum, and strengthened free speech on campuses.
“As a united government, we accomplished all this while managing the pressures of an unprecedented wildfire season that included support for more than 38,000 evacuees from Alberta communities and more than 21,000 evacuees from the Northwest Territories.
“I could not have accomplished all of this without my dedicated colleagues in cabinet and caucus. I look forward to accomplishing even more, with the ongoing confidence of Albertans, as we begin our second chapter together, ensuring Alberta remains the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
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This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

Former senior financial advisor charged with embezzling millions from Red Deer area residents

Published on April 26, 2024

By

News release from Alberta RCMP

Former senior financial advisor charged for misappropriating nearly $5 million from clients

On April 4, 2024, the RCMP’s Provincial Financial Crime Team charged a Calgary resident for fraud-related offences after embezzling millions of dollars from his clients while serving as a senior financial advisor.

Following a thorough investigation, the accused is alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn funds from client accounts and deposited them into bank accounts he personally controlled. A total of sixteen victims were identified in the Red Deer area and suffered a combined loss of nearly $5 million.

Marc St. Pierre, 52, a resident of Calgary, was arrested and charged with:

  • Fraud over $5,000 contrary to section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code; and,
  • Theft over $5,000 contrary to section 344(a) of the Criminal Code.

St. Pierre is scheduled to appear in Red Deer Provincial Court on May 14, 2024.

“The ability for financial advisors to leverage their position to conduct frauds and investment scams represents a significant risk to the integrity of Alberta’s financial institutions. The investigation serves as an important reminder for all banking clients to regularly check their accounts for any suspicious activity and to report it to their bank’s fraud prevention team.”

  • Sgt. John Lamming, Provincial Financial Crime Team

The Provincial Financial Crime Team is a specialized unit that conducts investigations relating to multi-jurisdictional serious fraud, investments scams and corruption.

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Alberta

Political parties will be part of municipal elections in Edmonton and Calgary pilot projects

Published on April 25, 2024

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Strengthening Alberta’s local elections

Alberta’s government is introducing legislation to ensure Albertans can rely on transparent, free and fair elections, and municipally-elected officials have clearer accountability measures.

In a democratic society, Albertans expect their local elections to be free and fair, and their elected officials to be held to account by clear rules that govern their local councils. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to add greater transparency to local election processes and ensure local councils and elected officials continue to remain accountable to the citizens who elected them.

“Our government is committed to strengthening Albertans’ trust in their local governments and the democratic process that elects local leaders. The changes we are making increase transparency for Alberta voters and provide surety their votes will be counted accurately. We know how important local democracy is to Albertans, and we will work with local authorities to protect and enhance the integrity of local elections.”

Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs

Local Authorities Election Act

Albertans expect free and fair elections and that’s why it’s important we strengthen the rules that govern local elections. To strengthen public trust in local elections, Alberta’s government will eliminate the use of electronic tabulators and other automated voting machines. All Albertans should be able to trust the methods and results of local elections; requiring all ballots to be counted by hand, clarifying rules and streamlining processes for scrutineers will provide voters greater assurance in the integrity of the results.

All eligible Albertans should be able to vote in local elections without impediment. Alberta’s government will limit the barriers for eligible voters to cast a ballot by expanding the use of special ballots. Currently, special ballots can only be requested for very specific reasons, including physical disability, absence from the municipality, or for municipal election workers. By expanding the use of special ballots, the government is encouraging more voter participation.

Amendments in the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act would increase transparency in local elections by enabling political parties at the local level. Political parties would be enabled in a pilot project for Edmonton and Calgary. The act will not require candidates to join a political party in order to run for a local or municipal office, but will create the opportunity to do so.

In addition, proposed changes to the Local Authorities Election Act would allow municipalities the option to require criminal record checks for local candidates, thus increasing transparency and trust in candidates who may go on to become elected officials.

Municipal Government Act

The role of an elected official is one with tremendous responsibility and expectations. Changes proposed to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) will strengthen the accountability of locally elected officials and councils. These include requiring mandatory orientation training for councillors, allowing elected officials to recuse themselves for real or perceived conflicts of interest without third-party review and requiring a councillor’s seat to become vacant upon disqualification.

If passed, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act will also unlock new tools to build affordable and attainable housing across Alberta. Proposed amendments under the MGA would also create more options for municipalities to accelerate housing developments in their communities. Options include:

  • Exempting non-profit, subsidized affordable housing from both municipal and education property taxes;
  • Requiring municipalities to offer digital participation for public hearings about planning and development, and restricting municipalities from holding extra public hearings that are not already required by legislation; and
  • Enabling municipalities to offer multi-year residential property tax exemptions.

Municipal Affairs will engage municipalities and other partners over the coming months to hear perspectives and gather feedback to help develop regulations.

Quick facts

  • The LAEA establishes the framework for the conduct of elections in Alberta municipalities, school divisions, irrigation districts and Metis Settlements.
  • The MGA establishes the rules governing the conduct of local elected officials once on council, as well as the overall administration and operation of municipal authorities in Alberta, including any policy those authorities may wish to implement.

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