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Premier Notley announces Alberta’s most common baby names for 2018

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From the Province of Alberta

Olivia and Liam were Alberta’s most common baby monikers in 2018, while Harper, Elizabeth and James cracked the top 10 list for the first time in decades.

Alberta welcomed 50,104 babies into the world last year – 25,717 boys and 24,387 girls.  Olivia was the most popular name choice for baby girls for the fifth year in a row, with Emma and Charlotte close behind. Liam has reclaimed the top boy’s name in Alberta, taking the No. 1 spot back from Noah.  Noah dropped from first to third place in the boys’ names list, while Oliver jumped to the second most popular name spot.

“Congratulations to all the new parents, and welcome to all of our new Albertans. As these children grow up, they will shape our future. We are going to help make sure they get a great start, with thousands of affordable child care spaces across Alberta, stronger child and family benefits, and hundreds of new and modernized schools.”

Rachel Notley, Premier

Service Alberta recorded 13,363 different baby names in 2018.  From popular culture to nature, parents found name inspiration from a variety of sources.  Some of the more unique names appear to be inspired by Marvel comics (Loki, Thanos, Captain), Star Wars films (Kylo, Leia, Anakin), books from the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus), places (Ireland, Chicago, Venice), outer space (Galaxy, Jupiter, Moon) and gemstones (Amethyst, Sapphire, Onyx, Diamond).

Very interesting facts

  • Oliver climbed six spots to become the second most popular boys’ name.
  • James cracked the boys’ top 10 list for the first time since 1983.
  • Harper and Elizabeth appeared in the girls’ top 10 list for the first time since records began in 1980.
  • Tied names mean there are 12 names on the boys’ top 10 list, with Logan and Lucas both in the fifth spot, and Alexander and James tied for spot No. 10.
  • Parents have up to a year to register their children’s births. As a result, 2018 baby names lists and birth statistics may change slightly.
  • Albertans can look up more than 95,000 names dating back to 1980 through the Alberta Baby Names App, available for free download on iPhone, iPad and Android devices.
  • Baby names statistics are recorded by the Vital Statistics branch of Service Alberta, and are based on the registration and notice of birth information.
  • A complete list of names is available on the Open Government Portal.

Alberta’s top baby boy names

(In brackets is the number of children with each name)

Place
Boy Names (2018)
Boy Names (2017)
Boy Names (2016)
1 Liam (225) Noah (250) Liam (277)
2 Oliver (212) Liam (244) Benjamin (252)
3 Noah (199) Benjamin (229) Lucas (247)
4 Ethan (188) Logan (226) Oliver (230)
5 Logan (182)

Lucas (182)

Lucas (216) Noah (228)
6 Jacob (181) William (213) William (213)
7 William (178) Ethan (192) Ethan (205)
8 Benjamin (176) Oliver (190) Jack (197)
9 Jack (167) Jack (189) Lincoln (192)
10 Alexander (158)

James (158)

Jacob (178) Owen (189)

Alberta’s top baby girl names

(In brackets is the number of children with each name)

Place
Girl Names (2018)
Girl Names (2017)
Girl Names (2016)
1 Olivia (235) Olivia (236) Olivia (292)
2 Emma (230) Emma (215) Emma (249)
3 Charlotte (175) Charlotte (187) Sophia (215)
4 Emily (164) Ava (184)

Sophia (184)

Ava (207)
5 Ava (161) Emily (159) Emily (187)
6 Abigail (153) Abigail (154) Charlotte (180)
7 Harper (150) Amelia (149) Amelia (172)
8 Sophia (146) Isabella (141) Abigail (171)
9 Amelia (145) Aria (129)

Chloe (129)

Chloe (166)
10 Elizabeth (130) Lily (127) Aria (137)

Government announcement about Midwives in 2018

This year, more expectant parents than ever before chose a midwife to help support them before and after their baby was born. Of the more than 50,000 babies born in Alberta in 2018, nearly 3,600 parents received the support of a midwife, up from 2,400 three years ago.

“We know choosing the perfect name isn’t the only decision new parents face. We wanted all expectant parents to have more choices when it comes to their pre- and post-partum care, so we increased funding for midwifery and expanded their scope of practice. We recognize the compassion and expertise midwives provide to Alberta families at a key time in their lives. I’m pleased to see so many Albertans taking advantage of their support as they make their journey into parenthood.”

Sarah Hoffman, Minister of Health

Midwives serve families with low-risk pregnancies. Care starts during pregnancy and continues after birth. As part of Budget 2016, an additional $11 million was allocated for midwifery services over three years, for a total of $49 million.

The Government of Alberta also expanded midwives’ scope of practice, so they can prescribe, dispense and administer a broader range of prescription drugs, use ultrasound to determine fetal position, administer vaccines and insert intrauterine contraceptive devices. This brings the scope of practice for Alberta midwives in line with many other provinces and territories.

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

Cross-Canada NGL corridor will stretch from B.C. to Ontario

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Keyera Corp.’s natural gas liquids facilities in Fort Saskatchewan. Photo courtesy Keyera Corp.

From the Canadian Energy Centre

By Will Gibson

Keyera ‘Canadianizes’ natural gas liquids with $5.15 billion acquisition

Sarnia, Ont., which sits on the southern tip of Lake Huron and peers across the St. Clair River to Michigan, is a crucial energy hub for much of the eastern half of Canada and parts of the United States.

With more than 60 industrial facilities including refineries and chemical plants that produce everything from petroleum, resins, synthetic rubber, plastics, lubricants, paint, cosmetics and food additives in the southwestern Ontario city, Mayor Mike Bradley admits the ongoing dialogue about tariffs with Canada’s southern neighbour hits close to home.

So Bradley welcomed the announcement that Calgary-based Keyera Corp. will acquire the majority of Plains American Pipelines LLP’s Canadian natural gas liquids (NGL) business, creating a cross-Canada NGL corridor that includes a storage hub in Sarnia.

“As a border city, we’ve been on the frontline of the tariff wars, so we support anything that helps enhance Canadian sovereignty and jobs,” says the long-time mayor, who was first elected in 1988.

The assets in Sarnia are a key piece of the $5.15 billion transaction, which will connect natural gas liquids from the growing Montney and Duvernay plays in B.C. and Alberta to markets in central Canada and the eastern U.S. seaboard.

Map courtesy Keyera Corp.

NGLs are hydrocarbons found within natural gas streams including ethane, propane and pentanes. They are important energy sources and used to produce a wide range of everyday items, from plastics and clothing to fuels.

Keyera CEO Dean Setoguchi cast the proposed acquisition as an act of repatriation.

“This transaction brings key NGL infrastructure under Canadian ownership, enhancing domestic energy capabilities and reinforcing Canada’s economic resilience by keeping value and decision-making closer to home,” Setoguchi told analysts in a June 17 call.

“Plains’ portfolio forms a fully integrated cross Canada NGL system connecting Western Canada supply to key demand centres across the Prairie provinces, Ontario and eastern U.S.,” he said.

“The system includes strategic hubs like Empress, Fort Saskatchewan and Sarnia – which provide a reliable source of Canadian NGL supply to extensive fractionation, storage, pipeline and logistics infrastructure.”

Martin King, RBN Energy’s managing director of North America Energy Market Analysis, sees Keyera’s ability to “Canadianize” its NGL infrastructure as improving the company’s growth prospects.

“It allows them to tap into the Duvernay and Montney, which are the fastest growing NGL plays in North America and gives them some key assets throughout the country,” said the Calgary-based analyst.

“The crown assets are probably the straddle plants in Empress, which help strip out the butane, ethane and other liquids for condensate. It also positions them well to serve the eastern half of the country.”

And that’s something welcomed in Sarnia.

“Having a Canadian source for natural gas would be our preference so we see Keyera’s acquisition as strengthening our region as an energy hub,” Bradley said.

“We are optimistic this will be good for our region in the long run.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Meanwhile, the governments of Ontario and Alberta are joining forces to strengthen the economies of both regions, and the country, by advancing major infrastructure projects including pipelines, ports and rail.

A joint feasibility study is expected this year on how to move major private sector-led investments forward.

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Alberta

Alberta school boards required to meet new standards for school library materials with regard to sexual content

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Alberta’s government has introduced new standards to ensure school library materials are age-appropriate.

School libraries should be safe and supportive places where students can learn and explore without being exposed to inappropriate sexual content. However, in the absence of a consistent standard for selecting age-appropriate library materials, school boards have taken different approaches, leading to concerns about safeguards in place.

In response to these concerns, and informed by feedback from education partners and the public, Alberta’s government has created standards to provide school boards with clear direction on the selection, availability and access to school library materials, such as books.

“Our actions to ensure that materials in school libraries don’t expose children to sexual content were never about banning books. These new standards are to ensure that school boards have clear guidance to ensure age-appropriate access to school library materials, while reflecting the values and priorities of Albertans.”

Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare

The new standards set clear expectations for school library materials with regard to sexual content and require school boards to implement policies to support these standards.

Standards for school library materials

Under the new standards, school libraries are not permitted to include library materials containing explicit sexual content. Non-explicit sexual content may be accessible to students in Grade 10 and above, provided it is age-appropriate.

“Protecting kids from explicit content is common sense. LGBTQ youth, like all children, deserve to see themselves in stories that are age-appropriate, supportive and affirming – not in material that sexualizes or confuses them.”

Blaine Badiuk, education and LGBTQ advocate

School boards must also regularly review their school library collections, publish a full list of available materials and ensure that a staff member supervises students’ access to school library materials. School boards will have to remove any materials with explicit sexual content from their school libraries by October 1.

School board policies and procedures

All school boards must have publicly available policies that align with the new standards for selecting and managing library materials by January 1, 2026. School boards can either create new policies or update existing ones to meet these requirements.

These policies must outline how school library materials are selected and reviewed, how staff supervise students’ access throughout the school day, and how a student, parent, school board employee or other member of the school community can request a review or removal of materials in the school library. School boards are also required to clearly communicate these policies to employees, students and parents before January 2026.

“A robust, grade- and age-appropriate library catalogue is vital for student success. We welcome the ministry’s initiative to establish consistent standards and appreciate the ongoing consultation to help craft a plan that will serve our families and communities well.”

Holly Bilton, trustee, Chinook’s Edge School Division

“Red Deer Public Schools welcomes the new provincial standards for school library materials. Our division is committed to maintaining welcoming, respectful learning spaces where students can grow and thrive. Under the new standards for school libraries, we remain dedicated to providing learning resources that reflect our values and support student success.”

Nicole Buchanan, chair, Red Deer Public Schools

Quick facts

  • The new standards will apply to public, separate, francophone, charter and independent schools.
  • The ministerial order does not apply to municipal libraries located within schools or materials selected for use by teachers as learning and teaching resources.
  • From May 26 to June 6, almost 80,000 people completed an online survey to provide feedback on the creation of consistent standards to ensure the age-appropriateness of materials available to students in school libraries.

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