These bulletins summarize and explain the important and relevant details of upcoming law in Alberta, as well as important points from the debates between elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) as they create legislation for the Province of Alberta.
This update covers the second week of the 31st sitting of the Legislative Assembly. Unlike the relative furor that marked the first few days of this session, week two was more routine. Several more Bills have been introduced, including the first private members Bill of the season.
Visitors to the Legislature this week include representatives of the Stollery Children’s Hospital, members of We Together Strong Community, a volunteer organization that distributes food hampers across Edmonton, and the newly re-elected mayor of Grand Prairie, Jackie Clayton. Notable, though, is the absence of school classes that had become a staple of attendance at the Legislature in previous assemblies. The spectre of Bill 2 – the Back to School Act and use of the Notwithstanding Clause – also remained prevalent throughout the debates.
Members’ Issues and Related Bills or Activities
Bill 4 – Public Safety and Emergency Services Statues Amendment Act, 2024
Honourable Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Bill 4 makes three significant changes to Alberta policing and enforcement law: (1) it strengthens Clare’s Law, (2) allows for prisoner transfers from an Alberta institution to another institution within Canada, and (3) establishes a labour relations model for the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS) that further institutionalizes a provincial police force.
Clare’s Law – or the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act – allows those who feel at risk of domestic abuse to receive information about potentially harmful intimate partners. The amendments in Bill 4 would expand the collected information for threat assessments under the Act and allow the Ministry to release this information to foreign jurisdictions and police forces. While the basis of Clare’s Law – protection from potential intimate partner violence – remains intact, these amendments massively expand the Government’s ability to collect and disclose an individual’s personal information without court direction; there is a concern that this invasion on a personal privacy may lead to further legal challenges.
The Minister would also be granted the power to transfer inmates in Alberta-based correctional facilities to other facilities across Canada. While this power previously existed, the amendments would limit the facilities that inmates may be transferred to from listed areas to correctional facilities under the federal Corrections and Conditional Release Act – essentially other prisons. The power has been historically used in a limited fashion, primarily during wildfire season and during other, life-threatening, environmental disasters. There are no restrictions placed on transfers.
The ASPS was established in July 2025 as part of the Government of Alberta’s plan to create a police force that municipalities can opt into as an alternative to RCMP services. Bill 4 outlines the framework for the ASPS to engage in collective bargaining and binding arbitration with the Government of Alberta. However, it also exempts the ASPS from key employment legislation, including the Employment Standards Code and the Public Service Employee Relations Act, effectively creating a distinct set of employment rules for ASPS officers.
Bill 4 passed its first reading on Thursday, October 30, but has been mired in ongoing debate. Votes concluding the second reading have been adjourned twice. RMA continues to monitor the progress of this Bill and the establishment of a provincial police force.
Bill 7 – Water Amendment Act, 2024
Honourable Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas
Bill 7 contains long-promised amendments to the Water Act and the modernization of Alberta’s water management system. The changes follow years of consultation with advocacy groups, municipalities industry, Indigenous communities, environmental groups, farmers, and others.
Proponents of the Bill contend that the changes will make more water available for growing communities by clarifying rules and streamlining regulatory decision-making. The Minister – in introducing the Bill – contended that the Bill addresses concerns over use of alternative water sources (like rainwater), consolidation of water licences, and inter-basin transfers.
Significant changes include good-standing requirements on licences, changing the definition of “water” under the Water Act to incorporate rain and snow, enforcing time restrictions on applications, increased public disclosure, allowance for licence amalgamation, and establishes the basis for several other regulatory changes.
Bill 7 merges existing water basins – the Peace/Slave and Athabasca River basins – into a single, large basin covering nearly half of Alberta. While this may improve access and streamline management, the change raises concerns about uncoordinated overuse, inadequate monitoring, and unaccounted cumulative environmental impacts.
The Bill also weakens safeguards against inter-basin transfers of invasive species and contaminants by introducing a “lower-risk transfer” provision. This allows the Minister to approve water transfers where flow is below a set threshold. Although this may reduce regulatory costs, it heightens the risk of spreading invasive species and pathogens – such as whirling disease – across Alberta’s watersheds.
Bill 7 allows licence holders to change a point of use provided that the new point of use is located on the same land or is associated with an attached and licenced project. The minister may only grant an amendment to the licence where there is no adverse effect on the rights of the user, other licence holders, or adversely affect the ability to conserve or manage a water body. More analysis needs to be completed on this aspect of Bill 7, however, as this appears to undermine other provisions of the Water Act on priority. The change extends the licence holder’s ability to use more water which will affect other users of the basin. It also remains unclear from the Bill how conservation of the water body is to be maintained in these circumstances.
Bill 7 also loosens the requirements around approving inter-basin transfers to allow for approval by ministerial order in “low risk” scenarios. RMA expressed significant concerns with this change during the engagement process and continues to seek clarity on how this process will be used and for what purpose.
RMA continues to research into the effect of Bill 7 on water use and licencing.
Bill 7 passed its first reading on Thursday October 30.
Other Notable Legislative Action
Bill 1 – International Agreements Act, 2025
Right Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
Bill 1 is a short piece of legislation that seeks to affirm in Alberta law the recognized legal principle that no international agreement is actionable within the jurisdiction of the agreeing parties until the local government affirms it.
Bill 1, if passed, would prevent any international agreement signed onto by the federal government that touches matters of provincial jurisdiction from being binding on the Government of Alberta (or a part of provincial law) without express implementation by the Alberta Legislature.
International agreements between nation-states are affirmed by the signatories through domestic legislation that enacts their provisions. Under Canadian law, however, there is an important distinction between international agreements with other countries and treaties with Indigenous nations.
While Indigenous treaties are recognized as nation-to-nation agreements under the Constitution Act, Bill 1 fails to address this legal status nor how the Bill affects the ratification of international treaties in Canada or Alberta in this context. As written, the Bill would permit the Alberta government to bypass required consultations with Indigenous groups on matters affecting Treaty requirements – an omission that raises serious legal and constitutional concerns.
Supporters of Bill 1 maintain that the Bill is not intended to override Indigenous rights but simply to affirm Alberta’s jurisdictional authority.
An amendment was proposed to explicitly recognize the rights of Indigenous Treaty partners under the Constitution Act. This amendment would provide legal certainty by formally acknowledging that the constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples remain protected within the new Act, ensuring that foundational legal structures are not undermined. Ideally, it would also help prevent potential legal challenges to the Act created under Bill 1. The amendment failed to be adopted.
Bill 1 passed its second reading, unamended, on Wednesday, November 5.
Bill 3 – Private Vocational Training Amendment Act, 2025
Honourable Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education
Bill 3 aims to strengthen Alberta’s vocational training sector and improve protections for students attending private vocational (trade) schools. It modernizes the Private Vocational Training Act by expanding its scope to cover any institution offering vocational training, with the definition of such training set by regulation for greater flexibility.
Schools will now be required to register with the Alberta government and obtain a licence to teach. The Act also establishes a Student Protection Fund to provide direct financial support to vocational students. While the Bill emphasizes alignment with Alberta’s labour market needs, it remains unclear how those needs will be measured or evaluated.
Debate continued in the Assembly, focusing on the details of actualizing Bill 3’s promised changes and fears related to known aggressive recruitment practices of some vocational schools.
Concerns were raised about the required funding levels for the Student Protection Fund and the rate at which contributions must be made. Critics fear the Fund may be inadequately supported by both vocational schools and the government. Because Bill 3 does not directly address recruitment practices, some worry that schools may continue prioritizing student loan offers over participation in the Fund. Questions also remain regarding the reporting and financial obligations of vocational schools, particularly in relation to the use of government funds to supplement tuition.
Bill 3 passed its second reading, unamended, on Wednesday November 5.
Bill 201 – Emplyment Standards (Protecting Workers’ Pay) Amendment Act, 2025
Honourable Kathleen Ganley, Member
Bill 201 has been tabled in the context of the affordability crisis and Alberta’s new designation of having the lowest minimum wage in Canada. Bill 201 would steadily increase the minimum wage over the next few years while also adding protections for employees that earn tips.
Bill 201 would raise the minimum wage in stages: to $16 per hour upon proclamation, $17 per hour in October 2026, and $18 per hour in October 2027. From 2028 onwards, the minimum pay would be subject to a calculation that accounts for inflation from year to year. The minimum wage would also be required to be uniform across age groups, meaning employers could not pay legal minors a lower rate than other employees.
Tips would also no longer to considered part of an employee’s wage for the purpose of payment for work. Employers would also be prohibited from withholding or deducting tips earned from an employee’s pay, and from using tips earned to pay other employees. Any pooling of tips must be expressly agreed upon by the employees and cannot be forced upon an employee for the purpose of employment.
Bill 201 passed its first reading on Thursday October 30.
Standing and Select Special Committee Meetings
November 25:
Standing Committee on Public Accounts
November 27:
Standing Committee on Members’ Services
December 5:
Standing Committee on Legislative Offices
Ian Profiri
Policy & Research Analyst
825.319.2352
ian@rmalberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@rmalberta.com