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Alberta

Province of Alberta reaching out to the rest of Canada for skilled workers

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Alberta is calling again

A second Alberta is Calling campaign is launching to attract more skilled workers from across Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Alberta’s economy continues to grow and diversify, creating rewarding jobs across industries and the province, including in high-demand sectors like skilled trades, health care, food service and hospitality, accounting, engineering and technology. Alberta workers continue to have the highest earnings across all provinces. As more jobs are created, businesses need more skilled workers.

In summer 2022, Alberta’s government launched the Alberta is Calling campaign to help address labour shortages across industries throughout the province. The first campaign targeted Canadians living in Toronto and Vancouver, while this second campaign turns its attention to Canadians living in the Maritimes and parts of Ontario, including London, Hamilton, Windsor and Sudbury.

The campaign highlights Alberta’s economic advantages, including the booming technology and innovation sector as well as offering the highest weekly earnings and lowest taxes in Canada. In addition, the campaign again promotes lifestyle attractions including Calgary, North America’s most liveable city, and access to world-famous mountains and parks for year-round hiking, skiing, biking, and more than 300 days of sunshine per year.

“As Alberta continues to create jobs, attract investment and diversify its economy, we are once again putting out a call for skilled workers to join our great province and appreciate the quality of life that Alberta has to offer. It is the Renewed Alberta Advantage, and I encourage more people to experience it for themselves.”

Brian Jean, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development

“Since last summer, nearly 70,000 individuals have moved here, the largest inflow of people we have seen in two decades. Between opportunity and quality of life, Alberta has a fantastic value proposition and the Alberta is Calling campaign has helped to share this message. We look forward to welcoming even more Canadians to Alberta soon.”

Adam Legge, president, Business Council of Alberta

“Alberta’s vibrant and diverse restaurant sector is one of the province’s largest employers. However, coming out of the pandemic there are almost 18,000 vacancies in the restaurant sector for vital roles like managers, chefs and prep cooks. That is why Restaurants Canada is pleased to support the relaunched Alberta is Calling campaign.”

Mark von Schellwitz, vice-president, Western Canada, Restaurants Canada

“What a great time for people to pursue careers in the trades in Alberta. Women Building Futures supports women seeking new career opportunities to get quality pre-apprenticeship training for exciting careers in the inclusive workplaces WBF Employers of Choice create.”

Carol Moen, president and CEO, Women Building Futures Society

To learn more about the opportunities and advantages of living in Alberta, visit albertaiscalling.ca.

Quick facts

  • The new phase of Alberta is Calling is launching in:
    • Atlantic Canada
      • St. John’s, N.L.; Charlottetown, P.E.I.; Moncton and Saint John, N.B.; and Halifax, N.S.
    • Ontario
      • Hamilton, London, Windsor, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Chatham, Timmins and Cornwall
  • In 2022, Alberta saw the highest employment growth in the country.
  • Alberta workers continue to have the highest weekly earnings of any provinces, at $1,268 (Statistics Canada, December 2022).
  • Alberta families earned a median after-tax income of $104,000 in 2020, which is more than $7,000 higher than Ontario.
  • Alberta families generally pay lower personal taxes (for 2022, considering annual family incomes of $75,000, $150,000 and $300,000).
  • Alberta saw the highest net interprovincial migration in Canada, at 19,285 people, in the third quarter of 2022.
  • According to Alberta’s Short-Term Employment Forecast, high and moderately high-demand occupations include:
    • restaurant and food service managers
    • software engineers and designers
    • web designers and developers
    • transport truck drivers
    • registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
    • accounting technicians and bookkeepers
    • shippers and receivers

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

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

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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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Alberta

Alberta official reveals ‘almost all’ wildfires in province this year have been started by humans

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen said his department estimates that most of the province’s wildfires this year are man-made and not caused by ‘climate change.’

Alberta officials have announced that almost all fires in 2024 are believed to have been caused by humans despite ongoing claims that “climate change” is to blame.

On April 24, Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen revealed that his department estimates that most of the province’s wildfires this year are man-made and not caused by “climate change” as claimed by mainstream media and politicians.

“We expect that almost all of the wildfires we’ve experienced so far this year are human caused, given the point we’re at in the season and the types of weather we’re seeing,” Loewen stated.

 Already, Alberta has put out 172 wildfires this year, and 63 are actively burning. However, Loewen did not seem overly alarmed, instead warning Albertans to watch their local fire bans and restrictions to reduce the high number of man-made wildfires.  

“I urge you to assess your property for wildfire danger and take any preventive action you can to address these risks,” he said.

“This includes breaking up fuel sources that could ignite a structure, removing trees in close proximity to your home, and properly maintaining your gutters and roofs to rid the materials that could easily ignite such as leaves and dry needles,” Loewen added.

Loewen’s announcement comes just weeks after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised that arsonists who ignite wildfires in Alberta will be held accountable for their crimes.

“As we approach the wildfire season, it is important to understand that 67% of wildfires in Alberta are started by people,” she explained.

“If you start a wildfire, you can be charged, fined, and held liable for all costs associated with fighting the wildfire,” Smith added.

“All I know is in my province we have 650 fires and 500 of them were human caused,” she said, “so we have to make sure that when people know that when it’s dry out there and we get into forest fire season that they’re being a lot more careful because anytime you end up with an ignition that happens it can have devastating consequences.”

The Alberta government has also created an ad campaign highlighting the fact that most fires are caused by humans and not “climate change,” as many left-leaning politicians claim.

As reported by LifeSiteNews last year, Smith ordered arson investigators to look into why some of the wildfires that raged across the vast expanse of the province had “no known cause” shortly after they spread.

Indeed, despite claims that wildfires have drastically increased due to “climate change,” 2023 research revealed that wildfires have decreased globally while media coverage has spiked 400 percent.

Furthermore, many of the fires last spring and summer were discovered to be caused by arsonists and not “climate change.”

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested arsonists who have been charged with lighting fires across the country, including in the YukonBritish Columbia, and Alberta.

In Quebec, satellite footage also showed the mysterious simultaneous eruption of several blazes across the province, sparking concerns that the fires were a coordinated effort by arsonists.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and mainstream media continue to claim that the fires are unprecedentedly dangerous and caused by “climate change” in an attempt to pass further regulations on natural resources.

The reduction and eventual elimination of the use of so-called “fossil fuels” and a transition to unreliable “green” energy has also been pushed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the globalist group behind the socialist “Great Reset” agenda – an organization with which Trudeau and some in his cabinet are involved.

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