The Weekly Roundup-March 7,2022
As expected, the past week has been chock-full of good news budget announcements from the government, including $300 million to increase healthcare capacity in the form of ICU beds over three years, almost $3.7 billion in operating funds across the continuing care system, a $390 million investment into rural broadband over four years and $251 million over three years in new funding for 15 priority school projects.
Consideration of estimates begins today for the budget, which is a line by line look at each ministry at the committee meeting setting. These meetings give an opportunity for opposition members to delve deeper and have direct access to the Minister and government officials for at least a couple hours. Some of the big ones to watch for are Treasury Board and Finance on Tuesday and Wednesday this week and Executive Council where the Premier will answer questions on March 16. Once estimates are complete for all Ministries, the approval process for the budget will be referred back to the Assembly.
The Legislature will now sit for four weeks straight, where you can expect a large amount of legislation to be tabled by the government to set the roadmap for the spring session. First up will be legislation to limit the ability of municipalities to enact bylaws that are contrary to provincial public health policy.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Alberta politics without speculation about an early election, which has the slightest chance of happening with the Premier’s comments that “if the government loses the confidence of the legislature, there has to be a dissolution”. Both the UCP and NDP are in the thick of nominations at the constituency level, and the comments could be a reminder from Premier Kenney to his caucus that he is still the one running the show in advance of the April 9 leadership vote.
Speaking of that vote, almost 2,900 party members have already registered, far outpacing any attendance previously seen at a party event since the UCP was founded. The Premier has stated that his threshold is a simple majority of 50% plus one, as outlined in the party’s Governance Manual.
The Premier and Energy Minister will both travel this week to the CERAWeek conference in Houston to promote Alberta’s energy sector as a source of “secure energy” given uncertainty in the energy market with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Alberta has now dropped almost all public health restrictions with the provincial mandatory mask mandate having also ended, except in AHS facilities, continuing care and on public transit. Mandatory isolation requirements remain in place. While positive case counts no longer reflect how many Albertans have COVID-19 due to testing capacity, as of March 4 there are 1,164 in hospital with 77 in intensive care and 3,954 deaths.
Below, you’ll find a recap of other government announcements made and Orders in Council passed since our last edition.
Government of Alberta Announcements
The UCP government has made the decision to expand coal restrictions on the Eastern Slopes. Effective immediately all new coal-related exploration and development activities are restricted.
Alberta’s government is accelerating the assessment of applications for permanent residency made by Ukrainian nationals through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. Application and post-decision service fees will also be temporarily waived for new and existing applications.
Alberta’s government is using more than $2 million from the TIER fund through Emissions Reduction Alberta for four innovative, Alberta-based projects worth about $24 million.
$3.4 million is being invested to help build a new Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre in Red Deer to provide services to vulnerable children and youth.
Orders in Council
OC 53/2022: Proclaiming section 6 of the Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act, 2021 (No. 2) in force on March 8, 2022.
OC 54/2022: Makes the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Amendment Regulation.
Upcoming Events Calendar
March 15, 2022: Fort McMurray - Lac La Biche by-election
March 16, 2022: Executive Council Estimates
April 9, 2022: United Conservative Party Special General Meeting (Leadership Review)