Major Water-Sharing Agreements Ready for Alberta
Government of Alberta has announced voluntary water sharing agreements negotiated with large water license holders With the coming summer expected to bring drought to Alberta, water license holders have been collaborating with one another and the Government of Alberta to develop voluntary water-sharing agreements. The intent of water-sharing agreements is to ensure access to water […]
Government of Canada Releases 2024 Budget
The 2024 Federal Budget is titled Fairness for All Generations On April 16, 2024, the federal budget was released. Key budget priorities included building homes, making life more affordable, and growing the economy with the next generation in mind. The RMA has undertaken an initial review of the budget and the following items are of […]
Wildfire Evacuation Human Rights Package Now Available
Report provides human rights information to those providing support in an emergency evacuation The Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released an information package intended to support both evacuees and those providing support to evacuees. The report covers the human rights and responsibilities of evacuees, along with specific information on issues such as human rights […]
Apply for Alberta’s Health Advisory Councils
Albertans across the province are encouraged to apply for new advisory council positions to improve healthcare in their communities In November 2023, the Government of Alberta announced plans to restructure Alberta’s healthcare system. Alberta Health has committed to ensuring that local voices are directly contributing to better healthcare outcomes in their communities by creating twelve […]
RMA Assigns Statuses to Nine Fall 2023 Resolutions
Immediately after resolutions are endorsed by RMA members, the RMA sends the resolutions to the relevant provincial or federal ministry or organization for an initial response. Based on the response received, the RMA assigns the resolution a status and drafts an initial reaction. The RMA updates the resolutions database and issues bulletins with updates as […]
Bill 18: Provincial Priorities Act Receives First Reading
The RMA has several concerns with the Bill, which will require provincial approval for federal funding agreements with municipalities On April 10, 2024 Bill 18: Provincial Priorities Act was introduced in the Legislative Assembly. Bill 18 is intended to ensure the province reviews and approves any funding agreements made between the federal government and “provincial […]
Farm Restricted Class 1 Driver’s License Announced
The Government of Alberta is implementing a program to reduce barriers for farmers seeking a Class 1 driver’s license The Government of Alberta has launched a Farm-Restricted Class 1 Driver’s License, which will allow eligible farmers to obtain a Class 1 license without completing a pre-licensing training program. This license will allow eligible farmers and […]
Join RMA for a Webinar on Renewable Energy Development Policy Changes
The RMA and Brownlee LLP will be reviewing the recent policy changes related to the development of renewable energy in Alberta On February 29, 2024, the Minister of Affordability and Utilities announced several policy changes related to the development of renewable energy projects based on the recent Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) inquiry into the sustainable […]
RMA Spring 2024 Endorsed Resolutions
Resolutions form an important part in identifying direction for the RMA’s advocacy efforts. The RMA membership endorsed the following resolutions in Spring 2024: 1-24S Declining Fire Department Services Across Rural Alberta (Smoky Lake County) 2-24S Water Apportionment Performance (MD of Taber) 3-24S Continued Support for Regional Economic Development Alliances (County of Paintearth) 4-24S Maintaining Non-Partisan […]
Inspecting Your Playgrounds for Safety
Playgrounds should balance injury prevention with the desire to promote children’s ability to test their limits, build muscle, gain confidence, and learn personal interaction. In 2013, among children less than 10 years of age, there were 3,970 visits to emergency departments for injuries associated with playground equipment, yet many of these injuries are avoidable. As […]