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RMA Legislative Update: Week of December 2 to 5, 2024

Since last week’s update, all Government Bills tabled in the Fall 2024 Sitting of the Legislature were read for a third time, with many passing on division, and all now await Royal Assent. With no Government Bills remaining to be read, the Government House Leader motioned to adjourn the Fall Sitting until February 2025 pursuant to Standing Order 3(9), so watch for RMA’s Legislative Update to resume in the new year.

Notable visitors to the Legislature this week included the German Ambassador to Canada, Tjorven Bellmann, who met with Premier Smith on December 3rd, as well as the Ambassador of Spain to Canada, Alfredo Martinez Serrano.

Members’ Issues and Related Bills or Activities

Bill 33 – Protection of Privacy Act
Honourable Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation

Bill 34 – Access to Information Act
Honourable Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction

Bill 33’s Protection of Privacy Act mandates public bodies to create their programs and services with protection of privacy in mind. Amongst other changes, the proposed Protection of Privacy Act provides the strictest penalties in Canada for misusing Albertans’ personal information, requires public bodies (including rural municipalities) to develop and implement privacy management programs and privacy impact assessments, and mandates the notification of Albertans if their personal information is involved in a privacy breach. Bill 34’s Access to Information Act recognizes electronic records, allows public bodies to extend timelines during times of emergencies, and clarifies definitions and processes. The Act also purports to further empower public bodies to proactively disclose information outside the access to information process and exempts several new types of documents from disclosure.

Both Bills passed their third readings on division on the evening of December 4th and now await Royal Assent, despite being criticized by the Province’s own Information and Privacy Commissioner about new exemptions for documents; these exemptions now cover any document created by or for the Premier, government ministers, or the provincial Treasury Board, including correspondence, as well as documents with background and factual information used to develop policy and legislation, and communications between political staff and government ministers.

Bill 35 – All-Season Resorts Act
Honourable Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport, Government House Leader

Bill 35’s All-Season Resorts Act establishes a new All-Season Resorts Branch in the Ministry of Tourism and Sport for all-season resort developments on Alberta’s provincial Crown lands, and establishes a development approval process for proponents to follow. The Act purports to enable and incentivize the responsible, sustainable development of all-season, year-round resorts in Alberta and support a growing visitor economy by attracting private capital into the development of tourism products. RMA is still reviewing the Act to gauge its impact on land use planning and economic development in member municipalities.

Bill 35 was read a third time on the evening of December 4th and now awaits Royal Assent.

Bill 31 – Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2024
Honourable Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice, Solicitor General of Alberta

Bill 31’s amendment of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act adds two more electoral divisions, increasing the number of constituencies (and MLAs) from 87 to 89. The Bill also legislates public reporting of crime data, amends the definition of essential infrastructure within the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to repeal the Regulation, provides for electronic certification of documents filed with Alberta’s courts, and removes the requirement to justify the making of an affirmation instead of swearing an oath.

Bill 31 passed its third reading on division on the evening of December 4th and now awaits Royal Assent.

Other Notable Legislative Action

Bill 32 – Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2)
Honourable Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance

Bill 32 amends 10 pieces of legislation and implements a new legislative framework for indexation of the tax system and social programs. Aside from these changes and others made to home financing rules and legislation, including the introduction of Halal mortgages, the changes most relevant to RMA’s members include the implementation of an electric vehicle tax of $200 annually and other provisions for the administration of the tax, including rules for refunds and exemptions for governments, diplomats and First Nations bands and individuals.

Bill 32 passed its third reading on division on the evening of December 4th and now awaits Royal Assent.

Bill 213 – Cancer Care Delivery Standards Act
Nicole Goehring, MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs, Shadow Minister for Tourism & Sport

Bill 213 proposes to establish standardized, transparent, and publicly funded and administered cancer care delivery in a timely manner. Bill 213 was read for the first time on December 3rd.

On the Order Paper: Upcoming Bill Introductions

Bill 23 – Miscellaneous Corrections Statute Amendment Act, 2024
Honourable Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport, Government House Leader

Standing and Select Special Committee Meetings

December 3:
Standing Committee on Public Accounts – Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts reviews the reports of the Auditor General of Alberta and the public accounts of the province. On December 3rd, the Committee reviewed the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation’s 2023-2024 Annual Report. The Committee is not expected to meet again before the new year.

Joseph Kay
Policy & Research Analyst
587.689.5484
joseph@RMAlberta.com

Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com