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Alberta

Apply for Provincial Inflation Relief: Portal for families, seniors, vulnerable Albertans opens January 18

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Inflation relief portal and payments coming soon

Monthly $100 affordability payments for families, seniors, and vulnerable Albertans will be released soon, and Albertans can act now to get ready.

Alberta’s economy has recovered strongly, but many people are struggling to heat their homes and feed their families. Alberta’s government has responded with the largest inflation relief package in Canada, with significant broad-based and targeted supports. Starting this month, six months of affordability payments will begin for Albertans through an application and distribution system that is fast, effective and safe.

Starting January 18, seniors 65 or older who are not receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit and eligible parents with children under 18 can apply online through the government portal or in person at locations across the province for $600 in monthly affordability payments.

In order to use the portal, eligible parents and seniors will be required to have a Verified Account. To ensure that the application process is as smooth as possible, Albertans should sign-up for their Verified Account or confirm they have an existing Verified Account with accurate information as soon as possible.

Many Albertans receiving these targeted relief payments are automatically enrolled for the program and do not need to apply to receive the benefit.

Along with Foster and Kinship Caregivers, anyone currently receiving regular monthly benefits through Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support or Alberta Seniors Benefit, or receiving services through the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program will automatically receive their first payment starting January 31.

Affordability payments for AISH, Income Support and PDD clients

All clients accessing AISH, Income Support or PDD are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their benefits. They will receive their first $100 payments starting January 31.

  • Payments will be delivered the same way as a client’s regular monthly benefits, whether by automatic deposit or a physical cheque.
  • Payments will be delivered by physical cheque for existing PDD clients who are not receiving AISH or Income Support benefits.
  • Beneficiaries will also be notified directly about their enrollment in the payment program and related information.
  • These payments will be treated as exempt income by the AISH and Income Support programs and will not impact eligibility or financial benefits.
  • Parents in these programs with children under 18 can also receive $600 in additional payments per child. They will need to apply online or in person for these payments starting January 18.

Affordability payments for seniors

All Albertans 65 or older with household incomes below $180,000 will soon be eligible for $600 over six months in monthly affordability payments.

Albertans receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their benefits. The distribution of additional monthly payments will begin January 31.

Eligible seniors who are not receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit will need to apply for affordability payments by creating or confirming their Verified Account and applying for benefits via the online portal or in person at a registry office or through Alberta Supports when the portal opens on January 18.

Affordability payments for parents or guardians caring for children under 18

Families with household incomes below $180,000 per year will soon receive a total of $600 for each dependent child under 18 over six months. Eligible parents can apply for affordability payments by creating or confirming their Verified Account and applying for benefits via the online portal or in person at a registry office or through Alberta Supports when the portal opens on January 18.

Affordability payments for foster and kinship caregivers caring for children under 18

Eligible kinship or foster caregivers caring for a child under the age of 18 are automatically enrolled in the program and do not need to sign up to receive their affordability payments. They will receive their first payments at the end of January.

  • Payments will be delivered the same way as regular monthly benefits, whether by automatic deposit or physical cheque.
  • Monthly payments will be rolled out starting January 31.

Alberta’s government is delivering immediate cost of living and inflation relief while also working to support long-term affordability. Albertans can learn more about all the broad-based and targeted affordability relief programs online.

Quick facts:

  • Alberta’s government will use CRA 2021 tax data to verify eligibility based on income.
  • Applications can be submitted until June 30, with payments being retroactive to include previous months when a person was eligible.
  • Once the application process is successfully completed, most Albertans will receive payments at the end of that month. Exact timing will vary for each individual.
  • Alberta has had verified accounts since 2015 as a way for Albertans to safely and securely access a growing number of government services.
  • As with all online accounts, Albertans should use strong passwords and not share their password with anyone else. Tips on how to create a strong password are available on the Government of Alberta site.
  • The Alberta government will not send texts or emails asking Albertans to submit personal or banking information to receive payments.

Additional information, including a video and answers to questions, is available at alberta.ca/affordable.

“Our government is committed to keeping Alberta affordable. By the end of January, most Alberta seniors and families will be able to apply for and receive monthly affordability payments that will provide real relief and help to offset inflationary pressures.”

Matt Jones, Minister of Affordability and Utilities
Alberta’s government has heard loud and clear that families, seniors and vulnerable Albertans need relief, and the approach we’ve taken ensures they get that support now. We have designed a secure system that will allow eligible Albertans to apply for benefits quickly and easy. Our top priorities during development of the inflation relief portal were privacy, security and accessibility. I’m proud of the work our civil servants have done over the last two months to bring this much-needed program to life.”
Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation

“As we all know, rising prices are putting pressure on household budgets, making it harder for families to pay their bills. Alberta’s government refuses to allow children to pay the price of inflation. The inflation relief payment will help reduce some of the financial pressures on Alberta families so that all parents, including foster and kinship caregivers, will not have to choose between buying food and paying bills. We are hoping that this additional support will allow kids to be kids and enjoy the fun activities they love.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Children’s Services

“Affordability for Albertans is a top priority for our government, especially for seniors and those living with disabilities. With critical steps such as targeted relief payments, we are helping millions of individuals and families meet their basic needs and offset the impact of today’s inflation.”

Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

ASIRT investigations concluded on fatal officer-involved shooting involving the RCMP.

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Incident investigation report from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT)

Introduction

On December 22, 2022, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed pursuant to s. 46.1 of the Police Act to investigate a then non-fatal Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer-involved shooting. The shooting of the affected person (AP) was reported to have happened during an interaction with him, as a result of him being a suspect in a complaint of a man with a gun.

While AP initially survived, he died of complications from the shooting the following day.

ASIRT’s Investigation

ASIRT’s investigation was comprehensive and thorough, conducted using current investigative protocols and principles relating to Major Case Management. Information from civilian witnesses, the subject and a witness officers, and importantly video recordings provided sufficient information to determine whether the force used by the subject officer during this incident was reasonable.

Circumstances Surrounding the Officer-Involved Shooting

On December 01, 2022, Maskwacis RCMP received a call reporting that a male [AP] had been drinking and left the caller’s house with a gun. AP was shooting the gun in the country (believed to be the area around the residence). Two RCMP officers responded.

Witness officer (WO) located AP walking on the road with a rifle. AP walked toward WO’s marked police vehicle with the rifle pointed at the vehicle/WO, while WO was seated in the driver’s seat. WO then exited his vehicle with his carbine rifle and moved to the rear of his vehicle while AP kept the rifle pointed at the police vehicle. The subject officer (SO) arrived on scene, but came from the opposite direction. AP turned around and walked toward SO with the barrel of the rifle pointed upwards. SO exited his police vehicle with his service pistol drawn and walked toward AP while he
repeatedly provided verbal direction to AP to drop the firearm. AP and SO were walking toward each other; at that time AP still had the barrel of the rifle pointed upward. As SO and AP got within approximately five meters of each other, AP lowered the barrel of the rifle and pointed it directly at SO. SO fired multiple rounds and struck AP with four rounds causing AP to stumble, drop the rifle and fall to the ground. AP initially survived the shooting and was transported to an Edmonton hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. The following day, AP succumbed to his injuries.

Analysis

The subject officer was lawfully placed and acting in the execution of his duties in dealing with AP as a person who was the subject of a complaint about him being in possession of a firearm and shooting it off.

The Use of Force

Under s. 25 of the Criminal Code, police officers are permitted to use as much force as is necessary for the execution of their duties. Where this force is intended or is likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm, the officer must believe on reasonable grounds that the force is necessary for the self-preservation of the officer or preservation of anyone under that officer’s protection.

A police officer’s use of force is not to be assessed on a standard of perfection nor using the benefit of hindsight.

With the benefit of hindsight, time for detached reflection and knowledge of the ultimate outcome, it is easy to speculate about how things could have been done differently. That is not the standard, however, against which an officer’s conduct is measured. The question is, applying principles of proportionality, necessity, and reasonableness, whether the force used falls into a range of possible reasonable responses.

Proportionate Response

Proportionality requires balancing a use of force with the action to which it responds. Here, the subject officers were faced with an individual that was armed with a gun and pointing it in their direction. As such, the response by the subject officers in using their respective firearms to shoot AP was proportionate to the threat of death or grievous bodily harm that he reasonably posed to both of them.

Reasonably Necessary

As set out previously in this report, AP presented as a lethal threat to both SO and WO given his actions in pointing his rifle at them. While WO did not shoot during this incident that does not impact the analysis of SO’s actions. Under the circumstances as then faced by SO, no other use of force options were reasonably available for attempted use. The use by SO of his firearm to incapacitate this lethal threat was reasonably necessary. Given the above, the defence available to SO under s. 25 of the Criminal Code would apply.

Conclusion

Under s. 25 of the Criminal Code a police officer is justified in doing what he or she is authorized to do and to use as much force as is reasonably necessary where he or she has reasonable grounds to do so. Force intended to cause death or grievous bodily harm is justified if the officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that the force was necessary to prevent the death or grievous bodily harm of the officer and/or any other person. The analysis under s.34 of the Criminal Code leads to a similar finding that subject officer’s actions were lawfully permitted.

After a thorough, independent and objective investigation into the conduct of the subject officers, it is my opinion that they were lawfully placed and acting properly in the execution of their duties. There is no evidence to support any belief that any officer engaged in any unlawful or unreasonable conduct that would give rise to an offence. The force used was proportionate, necessary and reasonable in all the circumstances.

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Alberta

Alberta requests more control over provincial immigration system

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Alberta is requesting more control over its provincial immigration to address its skilled workforce shortage, including increasing Ukrainian evacuee participation in the job market.

Premier Danielle Smith has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to re-evaluate his government’s decision limiting the number of allocations for Alberta’s provincial nominee program in 2024. Last week, the federal government informed the province it would only receive 9,750 such allotments – which is the same number of allocations Alberta received in 2023 and is less than the 10,140 for 2024 the federal government had originally allocated.

As of February 2024, Alberta accounts for just under 12 per cent of Canada’s population, but it leads the nation in net employment growth, with 42.8 per cent of the country’s employment gains between January and February 2024. By not providing the requested increase to Alberta’s provincial nominee allocations, the federal government is restricting the province’s ability to keep up with its growing labour market demands, especially as it relates to integrating Ukrainian evacuees into Alberta’s job market.

“Alberta is growing and that is good news. Since January 2023, more than 100,000 new jobs have been created in our province and our employment rate has led the country even longer. At the same time, we continue to experience labour shortages that could be resolved by welcoming skilled workers from around the world, including evacuees from Ukraine, many of whom have the exact skills that our job market most needs. Alberta has long been the economic engine of Canada and we are once again requesting Ottawa respect section 95 of the Constitution and let us welcome the skilled individuals we need into our province on our terms.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

With Alberta’s population growth at levels not seen in four decades, Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program is best placed to address the province’s unique immigration and economic goals.

Part of Alberta’s population growth has resulted from Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since that time, Alberta has welcomed a significant number of Ukrainian evacuees to the province. While it is anticipated that many will return to Ukraine following the war, Alberta is also expecting a number of families to apply for permanent residency via the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. An increase in the number of allocations from the federal government would assist these new Albertans to fill positions in the province’s workforce.

“Immigration is key to Alberta’s ability to address labour shortages and to grow our economy. This limitation imposed by the federal government on our provincial nominee program will be a very difficult pill to swallow, not only for businesses that need this skilled labour but also to the many Ukrainian evacuees who have the skills we need and wish to stay permanently in Alberta.”

Muhammad Yaseen, Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism

Quick facts

  • The federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sets provincial immigration nomination limits. It also approves all permanent resident applications.
  • Alberta maximized its 9,750 nomination allocations in 2023, with a total of 10,029 nominations issued within the federal government administrative buffer.

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