The Weekly Roundup - February 7, 2023
Canada’s Premiers have gathered in Ottawa to open discussions with the federal government on a renewed health care funding partnership. According to the CBC, Ottawa will be proposing a 10-year funding plan that includes increases to the Canada Health Transfer as well as funding for specific bilateral agreements to suit individual provincial and territorial needs. Securing a health care funding framework prior to the spring election would be a win for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and would give her the flexibility to make significant investments in the province’s health care system at a time when the topic is top of mind for many Albertans.
The need for positive interprovincial relations pertaining to health care funding comes at a time when the Trudeau government has been a punching bag of late for the Smith government on both the so-called “Just Transition” legislation and proposed federal legislation to ban firearms that the federal government backed down from last week. The Smith government has also shown its ability to make deals with the federal government when it matters, including the recently announced Agreement on the Cost Control Framework and For-Profit Expansion Plan to create up to 22,500 additional licensed private child-care spaces in Alberta. Looming over all dealings with the Trudeau government is the possibility of the Smith government deciding to utilize the Sovereignty Act.
Alberta’s Legislature will resume sitting on February 28 with a budget to be tabled by Finance Minister Travis Toews. The Legislature is scheduled to sit for five weeks, or until the government has passed all legislation tabled in their final session before the impending spring election.
Below, you’ll find a recap of government announcements made and Orders in Council passed since our last edition.
Government of Alberta Announcements
Overdose prevention services in Red Deer will soon transition to a mobile site operated by Alberta Health Services.
In a move touted as strengthening free speech on Alberta campuses, the UCP government will require post-secondary institutions to provide annual free speech reporting to the Minister of Advanced Education.
Alberta Health Services has launched a new EMS-811 Shared Response program so every Albertan receives appropriate levels of care.
Alberta’s government is investing up to $15 million to support low-income transit programs throughout the province.
A 15-week pilot partnership between the Alberta Sheriffs and the Edmonton Police Service will begin in late February to help deter and respond to crime and social disorder in downtown Edmonton.
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Nate Horner issued a statement on business risk management options for poultry farmers affected by avian influenza.
Energy Minister Pete Guthrie issued a statement on January’s energy sector update and the future of Alberta’s energy sector.
Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally issued a statement on Red Tape Awareness Week and celebrated the work done by the government to reduce red tape in the province.
Alberta’s government is providing $1.8 million over three years to Oxford House in support of their Calgary pre-treatment program.
Alberta’s government is investing $1 million to explore ways that regional post-secondary institutions, such as the University of Lethbridge and Northwestern Polytechnic, can help deliver medical education outside of Edmonton and Calgary.
The provincial government is pausing private passenger vehicle insurance rate increases through to the end of 2023.
Alberta’s government is seeking expressions of interest on developing hydrogen fuelling stations to help support future low-emission transportation needs.
The Government of Alberta provided $5 million to the City of Calgary and $5 million to the City of Edmonton to support projects that will further revitalize the two cities’ downtown cores.
Albertans will have access to thousands more publicly funded orthopedic surgeries at Calgary chartered surgical facilities as part of the Health Care Action Plan.
Alberta is ending the practice of holding federal immigration detainees in provincial jails and is calling on the federal government to find better alternatives.
To address EMS response times, the provincial government is accepting all recommendations of both the Alberta Emergency Medical Services Provincial Advisory Committee report and an independent dispatch review and is working on a plan of action to carry them out.
Premier Smith sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau concerning supplying affordable, sustainable and reliable energy to Japan.
Orders in Council
OC 1/2023: Appoints Rae-Ann Lajeunesse as Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services and Bryce Stewart as Deputy Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
OC 2/2023: Makes the Security Services and Investigators (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation, extending the expiry to March 31, 2028.
OC 3/2023: Makes the Deep Oil Exploratory Well Repeal Regulation. The Deep Oil Exploratory Well Program expired in 2013.
OC 4/2023: Makes the Rebate Authorization Amendment Regulation, extending timelines for when a minister is authorized to provide a rebate to 2026 and the expiry of the regulation to 2027.
OC 5/2023: Appoints Gerald Hawranik, K.C., as a member and designates him as chairperson of the Alberta Review Board for a further term to expire on January 31, 2026; effective April 29, 2023, reappoints Lori Louhela as a member of the Alberta Review Board for a term to expire on April 28, 2026; effective June 6, 2023, reappoints Todd Marr as a member of the Alberta Review Board for a term to expire on June 5, 2026.
OC 6/2023: Makes the Miscellaneous Corrections Regulation.
OC 7/2023: Approves the incorporation of a subsidiary Provincial corporation, to be a wholly owned subsidiary of The Governors of The University of Lethbridge, to act as trustee of a trust for the purpose of acquiring, holding and developing the lands designated from time to time by The Governors of The University of Lethbridge and approved for transfer or other disposition to the Provincial corporation.