Alberta
New surveillance teams led by the Alberta Sheriffs working with local police in rural communities
More boots on the ground to fight rural crime
Rural crime continues to be a top concern among residents and businesses in rural Alberta, which is why Alberta’s government remains committed to addressing it through enhanced surveillance and other crime reduction initiatives. Alberta’s government invested $4.3 million for the Alberta Sheriffs to put more boots on the ground. This investment supported the establishment of two plainclothes teams – one in northern Alberta and one in southern Alberta – to support police in carrying out surveillance on criminal targets in rural areas.
Both teams are now fully staffed and operational, ready to fight crime in rural areas across Alberta. These rural surveillance teams will work to prevent crime, monitor agricultural theft and work in collaboration with local law enforcement to share intelligence and resources to keep Albertans and their property safe and secure.
“Criminals and organized crime are not welcome in Alberta. Full stop. The addition of two new surveillance teams will further support our law enforcement partners in stamping out criminal activity in Alberta’s rural areas. This is about supporting local investigations to address local crime in our smaller communities. Together, both teams will form another key component of Alberta’s efforts to combat crime and ensure Albertans feel safe at home and in their communities, regardless of where they live.”
The Alberta Sheriffs have an existing surveillance unit that is part of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) and focused mainly on serious and organized crime investigations. The new surveillance teams will fill a gap by helping rural RCMP detachments with local investigations.
“Through their specialized knowledge, training and experience, Alberta’s new surveillance teams are providing another important mechanism in the fight against crime in Alberta’s rural communities. Working in close collaboration with the RCMP and other policing agencies, their efforts will play a key role in gathering evidence and information that will help disrupt crime throughout the province.”
“This announcement by the Alberta government and Minister Ellis is a positive step forward for the residents of Alberta, especially in rural areas. Targeting known criminals is a very effective way to reduce the level of crime taking place and will greatly assist the RCMP who have a vast area to police.”
“We are happy to hear about increased resources being allocated to assist our communities. Addressing rural crime is one of the top priorities of the Alberta RCMP, and our partners at the Alberta Sheriffs already play a vital role in keeping Albertans safe. The creation of these new surveillance teams will help augment our ongoing crime reduction strategies in Alberta communities, and we look forward to working with them going forward.”
The new surveillance teams are part of a suite of measures to expand the role of the Alberta Sheriffs and make Alberta communities safer. Other actions include the expansion of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit – which uses legal sanctions and court orders to target problem properties where illegal activities are taking place – and the expansion of the RAPID Response initiative with funding for the Sheriff Highway Patrol to train and equip members to assist the RCMP with emergencies and high-priority calls.
Related news
- Fighting rural crime (March 24, 2023)
Multimedia
Your province, your plate
For the first time in more than 40 years, Alberta is refreshing its licence plate with a Strong and Free motto, and the final look will be decided by Albertans.
From Oct. 15 until Nov. 5, Albertans can take part in a tournament-style online vote for a new provincial licence plate design that proudly reflects who we are every time we hit the road.
The new licence plate will be available in late 2026 and will be based on a “Strong and Free” theme, echoing the Latin motto of our province and reflecting Alberta’s bold identity, economic strength and deep-rooted provincial pride. The motto’s inclusion on the licence plates will also serve as a nod to Canada’s national anthem and Alberta’s position as a strong and sovereign province within a united Canada.
“From our wide-open landscapes to our entrepreneurial spirit, Alberta has so much to be proud of, and our new licence plate will reflect that pride. For the first time in four decades, Albertans will choose how we tell that story. I look forward to seeing which design is selected to show the world that this is the land of the strong and free.”
With options that include famous Alberta landmarks such as the Three Sisters Mountains, and long-standing symbols of our province’s core industries including agriculture and energy production, the potential plates each contain symbols of Alberta’s beauty, history and spirit.
In the first phase of voting, Albertans can vote for their favourite of eight unique concepts that incorporate Alberta’s unique landscape and history. Following the first phase, four designs will advance to the next round of voting where the top two will be selected, and subsequently, there will be a final vote for the winning plate concept. The winning new licence plate will be announced during the fall session of the legislature.
“Alberta is strong and free, and Albertans will have the opportunity to choose a new licence plate that captures that spirit. The new licence plate will be a fresh design that every Albertan will be proud to show off, whether they’re driving to work, heading to the lake or exploring North America.”
If an Albertan wants to replace their current plate for the new licence plate once it is released, they can voluntarily pay a $28 fee. Alternatively, Albertans could obtain a new plate on their vehicle registration renewal date at no additional cost. Motorists may also continue using the previous licence plate once the new licence plate is brought onboard, provided it is still in good condition.
Quick facts
- Alberta’s current licence plate was designed in 1984.
- In 2021, Alberta began a transition from painted to reflective plates with the same design.
- The new designs each incorporate reflective technology to improve readability for law enforcement and automated systems in low-light conditions, and also meet international standards for visibility, legibility and counterfeit resistance.
Related information
Licence plate designs. Click link above to vote
Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel. The company’s extensive pipeline network transports about 30 per cent of the oil produced in North America and nearly 20 per cent of the natural gas consumed in the United States. Photo courtesy Enbridge
From the Canadian Energy Centre
B.C. tanker ban an example of federal rules that have to change
The CEO of North America’s largest pipeline operator says Alberta’s move to champion a new oil pipeline to B.C.’s north coast makes sense.
“There’s a good reason the Alberta government has become proponent of a pipeline to the north coast of B.C.,” Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel told the Empire Club of Canada in Toronto the day after Alberta’s announcement.
“The previous [federal] government’s tanker ban effectively makes that export pipeline illegal. No company would build a pipeline to nowhere.”
It’s a big lost opportunity. With short shipping times to Asia, where oil demand is growing, ports on B.C.’s north coast offer a strong business case for Canadian exports. But only if tankers are allowed.
A new pipeline could generate economic benefits across Canada and, under Alberta’s plan, drive economic reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
Ebel said the tanker ban is an example of how policies have to change to allow Canada to maximize its economic potential.
Repealing the legislation is at the top of the list of needed changes Ebel and 94 other energy CEOs sent in a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney in mid-September.
The federal government’s commitment to the tanker ban under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was a key factor in the cancellation of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline.
That project was originally targeted to go into service around 2016, with capacity to ship 525,000 barrels per day of Canadian oil to Asia.
“We have tried to build nation-building pipelines, and we have the scars to prove it. Five hundred million scars, to be quite honest,” Ebel said, referencing investment the company and its shareholders made advancing the project.
“Those are pensioners and retail investors and employees that took on that risk, and it was difficult,” he said.
For an industry proponent to step up to lead a new Canadian oil export pipeline, it would likely require “overwhelming government support and regulatory overhaul,” BMO Capital Markets said earlier this year.
Energy companies want to build in Canada, Ebel said.
“The energy sector is ready to invest, ready to partner, partner with Indigenous nations and deliver for the country,” he said.
“None of us is calling for weaker environmental oversight. Instead, we are urging government to adopt smarter, clearer, faster processes so that we can attract investment, take risks and build for tomorrow.”
This is the time for Canadians “to remind ourselves we should be the best at this,” Ebel said.
“We should lead the way and show the world how it’s done: wisely, responsibly, efficiently and effectively.”
With input from a technical advisory group that includes pipeline leaders and Indigenous relations experts, Alberta will undertake pre-feasibility work to identify the pipeline’s potential route and size, estimate costs, and begin early Indigenous engagement and partnership efforts.
The province aims to submit an application to the Federal Major Projects Office by spring 2026.
Call for Federal Inquiry as Pressure Mounts for Release of Buried Report on Buddhist Land Transactions in PEI
Canadian commentators call Freedom Convoy leaders’ sentences ‘onerous,’ ‘too stiff’
Trump Shares When Both Dead And Alive Hamas Hostages Are Expected To Be Released
Alberta Is Where Canadians Go When They Want To Build A Better Life
Protestor Behind ‘Longest Ballot’ Chaos targeting Poilievre pontificates to Commons Committee
Fact, fiction, and the pipeline that’s paying Canada’s rent
Response to any budget sleight of hand will determine which audience media have decided to serve
-
Censorship Industrial Complex1 day agoCanada’s privacy commissioner says he was not consulted on bill to ban dissidents from internet
-
Alberta24 hours ago
Enbridge CEO says ‘there’s a good reason’ for Alberta to champion new oil pipeline
-
Business23 hours agoFormer Trump Advisor Says US Must Stop UN ‘Net Zero’ Climate Tax On American Ships
-
Energy1 day agoIndigenous Communities Support Pipelines, Why No One Talks About That
-
Business1 day agoFinance Committee Recommendation To Revoke Charitable Status For Religion Short Sighted And Destructive
-
Alberta1 day agoOil Sands are the Costco of world energy – dependable and you know exactly where to find it
-
Business2 days agoFinance Titans May Have Found Trojan Horse For ‘Climate Mandates’
-
Health1 day agoColorado gave over 500 people assisted suicide drugs solely for eating disorders in 2024