To improve reporting on resolution advocacy, the RMA is releasing a monthly bulletin highlighting recent actions undertaken on select active resolutions.
The Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin is a way of routinely highlighting a selection of the over 70 currently active resolutions, offering members a more detailed insight into the work being carried out on their behalf. For the latest formal statuses and reactions to all resolutions, view the RMA’s Resolutions Database.
The September 2025 edition of the Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin features the following resolutions:
Resolution ER3-24S: Opposition to Federal Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate
In December 2023, the Government of Canada launched its finalized Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate following a relatively short stakeholder consultation period. The resulting outcomes have led to significant concerns and impacts to Canadian communities and businesses, particularly those situated in rural regions. Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), light duty vehicles are used more frequently in these regions, meaning that a prescriptive, standardized policy is being applied towards a disproportionate reality.
Resolution ER3-24S highlights these concerns and more, while advocating for the reconfiguring of the ZEV mandate to be more flexible to the unique needs and challenges experienced by rural communities. One of the concerns with the mandate is that it is highly impractical, especially with regard to the 100% ZEV mandate by 2035. Because rural Alberta’s economy relies heavily on industries that utilize non-ZEV vehicles and due to a vast disparity in infrastructure capacity for ZEV vehicles, the ZEV mandate is anticipated to introduce significant transitional challenges, including unmanageable cost increases for rural Albertans.
Recently, the Government of Canada announced a pause on the ZEV mandate, including the removal of the 2026 target and a commitment to launching a 60-day review of the overall regulation. While this policy change represents needed relief for rural Albertans and a promising step in the right direction, it is important that the regulation review is comprehensive and inclusive of rural municipalities and industries. This will ensure that vital rural industries and rural livelihoods are not disproportionately impacted by unbalanced emissions reduction mandates.
Resolution 1-24F: Attraction and Retention Strategy for Rural Health Care Professionals
Resolution 1-24F calls for RMA to advocate for the Government of Alberta to prioritize a commitment to implementing the Rural Health Action Plan and the Rural Health Professions Action Plan to increase the total number of health care professionals in rural and remote Alberta. RMA has heard repeated calls that some members are going above and beyond their legislated requirements to support healthcare worker attraction and retention in their area. RMA is undertaking several actions to address this as described here:
- Met with Minister LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services to discuss rural health priorities. RMA staff are actively following up on action items resulting from the meeting.
- RMA is gathering information on the contributions rural municipalities are making to rural healthcare worker attraction and retention. This will inform RMA’s ongoing advocacy efforts.
- RMA will continue to share information as relevant.
Stay tuned for future editions of the Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin, where we will continue to feature updates on selected resolutions.
Warren Noga
Manager of Policy and Research
825.319.2285
warren@rmalberta.com