Government of Alberta Ministry Changes

Date:

November 2023

Expiry Date:

December 2026

Current Status:

Incomplete Information

Sponsors:

MD of Peace

District:

4 – Northern

Year:

2019

Convention:

Fall

Category:

Other

Status:

Incomplete Information

Vote Results:

Carried

Preamble:

WHEREAS since 2015, Alberta’s government ministries have undergone 45 organizational modifications resulting in ministry name changes; and

WHEREAS modifications are due to the addition or removal of portfolios or the creation of new ministries; and

WHEREAS the Government of Alberta’s new Cabinet, announced in October 2022, included name changes to nine existing ministries and the creation of six new ministries; and

WHEREAS in June 2023, seven more ministry name changes occurred, with five ministries having their names altered within eight months of their last modification; and

WHEREAS the Government of Alberta does not report on the costs of organizational changes or the impacts of such changes on employees or public understanding of government; and

WHEREAS research indicates that rebranding can consume 4-10% of a public sector organization’s budget;

Operative Clause:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) advocate that the Government of Alberta (GOA) report on the cost of organizational adjustments such as portfolio shuffles and ministry name changes; and

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA advocate for the GOA to minimize organizational modifications as much as possible.

Member Background:

A summary of key ministry changes in recent years is outlined below.

Jobs, Economy & Trade:

  • Jobs was part of the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training & Labour from May 2015 to February 2016. The Jobs portfolio was vacant until it became part of Jobs, Economy & Innovation on August 25, 2020. Then on October 21, 2022, it became part of Jobs, Economy & Northern Development only to be changed to Jobs, Economy & Trade on June 9, 2023.
  • Economy was part of the Ministry of Jobs, Economy & Innovation from the period of August 25, 2020, to October 21, 2022, when it became part of Jobs, Economy & Northern Development. Then on June 9, 2023, it was again changed to Jobs, Economy & Trade.
  • Trade was part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade & Tourism for the period April 30, 2019, until August 25, 2020. After that, the Trade portfolio was vacant until October 21, 2022, when it became part of the Trade, Immigration & Multiculturalism Ministry. Eight months later June 9, 2023, Trade became part of the Jobs, Economy & Trade Ministry.

Arts, Culture & the Status of Women:

  • Culture was part of the Culture & Tourism Ministry from 2014 to 2019. In 2019 the Culture & Tourism Ministry became the Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women Ministry. This lasted until July of 2021 when the Ministry simply became the Ministry of Culture, which lasted until June 9th, 2023, and its current name. Arts and the Status of Women seem to have only become Ministry level portfolios in 2019 as such there is no older history.

Immigration & Multiculturalism:

  • Immigration was part of the Labour & Immigration Ministry prior to October 21, 2022, when it became part of Trade, Immigration & Multiculturalism. The Ministry of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism existed for eight months until June 9, 2023, when the Ministry simply became Immigration & Multiculturalism.
  • Multiculturalism was part of the Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism & Status of Women for the period of April 30, 2019 – July 7, 2021. After this, it seems to have been vacant until June 9, 2023, when it became part of Immigration & Multiculturalism.

Tourism & Sport:

  • Tourism was part of the Culture & Tourism Ministry from 2014 to 2019. In 2019 under the UCP Government, the Ministry became the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade & Tourism, a name that lasted until October of 2022 when it became the Ministry of Forestry, Parks & Tourism. The Forestry, Parks & Tourism Ministry existed until June 9, 2023, when the name changed to Forestry & Parks. The Sport portfolio was only created on June 9th, 2023, as such there is no older history.

Forestry & Parks:

  • Parks was part of the Ministry of Environment & Parks from 2015 – 2022. In 2022 Parks was combined with Forestry & Tourism to make the Forestry, Parks & Tourism Ministry which was only in existence from Oct 21, 2022 – June 9, 2023.
  • Forestry was part of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry from 2015 – 2021. In 2021 Forestry became part of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development Ministry until October 2022 when the Forestry, Parks & Tourism Ministry was created.

RMA Background:

RMA has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.

Government Response:
None reported.

Development:

A response from government has not yet been received. For this reason, Resolution 19-23F is assigned a status of Incomplete Information. RMA will continue to advocate on this resolution by seeking further opportunities for correspondence and input.

Provincial Ministries:

Other

Provincial Boards and Organizations:

None reported.
Federal Ministries and Bodies:
None reported.

Internal Notes:

None reported.