The Weekly Roundup - February 14, 2023
Following last week’s meetings in Ottawa, Canada’s Premiers have accepted the federal government’s 10-year health care funding proposal. Ottawa will hold bilateral meetings with each province, with Alberta’s share set to be roughly $518-million. Premier Danielle Smith said in a news conference last week that her government would use the significant influx of funding to further some of the health care initiatives already underway in the Health Care Action Plan including reducing surgical wait times, improving ambulance services and reducing emergency room wait times.
The Premier also used her first meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss energy investment in the province and push back against the framing of ‘just transition’ policies.
All things considered, Alberta politics was quite tame in the past week when compared to the number of unidentified flying objects shot down over North America or the sudden resignation of Toronto Mayor John Tory on Friday night.
Below, you’ll find a recap of government announcements made and Orders in Council passed since our last edition.
Government of Alberta Announcements
New in yet-to-be-tabled Budget 2023, Alberta’s government is creating more than 600 new seats for nurse bridging programs and creating a new bursary with an investment of $7.8 million annually for internationally educated nurses.
Up to $58 million from the TIER fund is being delivered through Emissions Reduction Alberta to help projects participating in the Circular Economy Challenge progress through various stages of development.
Energy Minister Pete Guthrie is travelling to Norway and Germany until February 22 to promote Alberta’s energy sector.
The Diabetes Working Group held its first meeting to identify ways to improve diabetes care in the province.
Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development Brian Jean issued a statement about the January 2023 Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada that saw 20,600 jobs created.
More than one million Albertans are enrolled and scheduled to receive their first of six $100 affordability payments, representing $96 million in inflation relief.
An additional $8.5-million investment in the New Beginnings Bursary will enable up to 1,700 low-income nursing students to be eligible for a one-time, non-repayable $5,000 bursary.
Another new policy to be introduced in Budget 2023, the government will introduce a new agri-processing tax credit this spring as a 12 per cent non refundable tax credit.
Orders in Council
OC 8-11/2023: Appoints Alison Anne Sabo, Mathieu Philippe St-Germain, Kelly Wing-Yin Wong and Craig Thomas Alan McDougall, K.C. as justices of the peace for ten year appointments.
OC 12-16/2023: Appoints Lionel Richard Robert Chartrand, Indra Lynne Maharaj, Thomas D. Marriott, KC, Jordan Joseph Stuffco and Frank John Bosscha, K.C. as judges in the Provincial Court of Alberta.
OC 17/2023: Reappoints Robert Bhatia and Steve Bradshaw as members of the board of directors of the LAPP Corporation, each for a term to expire on December 31, 2025; reappoints Richard West as a member of the board of directors of the LAPP Corporation for a term to expire on December 31, 2023.
OC 18/2023: Appoints Denis Jubinville as a member of the board of directors of the SFPP Corporation for a term to expire on December 31, 2024; appoints John Burdyny, Kurtis LaDouceur and David Paton as members of the board of directors of the SFPP Corporation, each for a term to expire on December 31, 2025.
OC 19/2023: Makes the Management Employees Pension Plan Amendment Regulation, reducing the contribution rate to 12% of pensionable salary for both employers and employees effective April 1, 2023.
OC 20/2023: Appoints Shannon Patershuk, employer nominee, nominated by the President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance on behalf of the Government, as a member of the Management Employees Pension Board for a further term to expire on December 31, 2025.
OC 21/2023: Appoints Paul Haggis and Brad Langdale as members of the Teachers’ Pension Plans Board of Trustees, each for a further term to expire on December 31, 2026.
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