Following the release of Budget 2025 on February 27 and Constituency Week from March 4 to 8, MLAs returned to the Legislature for the Spring Session on Monday, March 10. RMA’s next Legislative Update will come on March 28, 2025, following a one-week hiatus for RMA’s 2025 Spring Convention.
Visitors to the Legislature this week included elementary school students from across the Capital Region, registered social workers, members of Albertas’ Chambers of Commerce, representatives from the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Calgary Health Foundation.
Members’ Issues and Related Bills or Activities
Bill 38 – Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025
Honourable Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction
Bill 38 was read for the first time on February 26. The Bill proposes legislative changes to the Post-secondary Learning Act, the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act, the Child and Youth Advocate Act, the Energy Diversification Act, the Boundary Surveys Act, the Charitable Fundraising Act, and the Residential Tenancies Act.
Bill 38’s second reading is on the Order Paper for Thursday, March 13. RMA is currently reviewing Bill 38 to gauge its impacts on rural municipalities.
Bill 39 – Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 ($)
Honourable Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance
Bill 39 purports to support the provincial government’s plan to “responsibly maintain fiscal stability and keep building economic prosperity.” Proposed amendments in Bill 39 would allow the province to move forward with some of Budget 2025’s important legislative pieces.
Bill 39 was read for the first time on Monday, March 10, and its second reading is on the Order Paper for Thursday, March 13. For more information on Budget 2025, please see RMA’s Budget Backgrounder, or check out RMA’s Initial Analysis of Budget 2025-2026.
Bill 41 – Wildlife Amendment Act, 2025
Honourable Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks
Bill 41 purports to enhance wildlife management tools, improve clarity, maintain hunting and trapping as central parts of our Alberta’s cultural identity, and support effective management of Alberta’s wildlife populations and the ecosystems they inhabit. One of the Minister’s key goals was to improve accessibility for hunters and trappers, including those with a disability, by changing the definition of a vehicle used for hunting. Bill 41 was read for the first time on Wednesday, March 12. RMA is reviewing Bill 41 to determine its impacts on rural municipalities.
Other Notable Legislative Action
Bill 37 – Mental Health Services Protection Amendment Act, 2025
Honourable Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction and Deputy Government House Leader
Bill 37 was introduced in the Assembly on February 25 and amends the Mental Health Services Protection Act, which provides a foundation to ensure safe, quality addiction and mental health care and provides authority to establish licensing programs for addiction and mental health service providers.
Bill 37 proposes three key amendments, including creating three distinct bed-based services with each subjected to a set of licensing requirements, renaming certain services, and allowing the Minister to exempt certain providers or people from the framework on a case-by-case basis. Bill 37’s second reading is on the Order Paper for Thursday, March 13.
Bill 40 – Professional Governance Act
Honourable Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education
Bill 40, read for the first time on March 11, purports to modernize professional legislation, emphasizing good governance and consistency in the regulation of the professions it covers while remaining responsive to the unique needs and operations of each organization.
If passed, the Professional Governance Act would consolidate and streamline Advanced Education’s professional governance legislation from nine separate acts into one; these include the Agrology Profession Act, Architects Act, Chartered Professional Accountants Act, Consulting Engineers of Alberta Act, Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, Land Surveyors Act, Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act, Regulated Forest Management Profession Act, and the Veterinary Profession Act.
Standing and Select Special Committee Meetings
March 10:
Standing Committee on Families and Communities – Mental Health and Addiction Budget Debate
Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future – Tourism and Sport Budget Debate
March 11:
Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future – Immigration and Multiculturalism Budget Debate; Main Estimates for the Ministry of Technology and Innovation
Standing Committee on Families and Communities – Education Budget Debate; Main Estimates for the Ministry of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction
March 12:
Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future – Main Estimates for the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade
Standing Committee on Families and Communities – Main Estimates for the Ministry of Health
Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship – Main Estimates for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs
March 13:
Standing Committee on Families and Communities – Main Estimates for the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship – Main Estimates for the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas
Joseph Kay
Policy Advisor
587.689.5484
joseph@rmalberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@rmalberta.com