This Week
New legislation: Outside of budget-related bills, new legislation introduced this week includes:
- Bill 11: Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024
Premier meets with Prime Minister: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Smith met in Calgary. The meeting included a discussion on the impact of the federal carbon tax on inflation, affordability, and sustained higher interest rates. The Premier also reiterated Alberta’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 and the importance of several key projects in attaining that goal. The Premier noted Alberta’s willingness to co-operate with Ottawa where the federal government does not overstep its constitutional authority. The post-meeting press conference can be viewed here.
Temporary rules for electricity market: Minister of Affordability and Utilities, Nathan Neudorf, announced temporary policy changes to increase competition in Alberta’s grid and reduce electricity prices. The first policy aims at addressing economic withholding by limiting the offer price of natural gas generating units owned by large generators. The second policy aims at addressing physical withholding by mandating that natural gas-generating assets be made available during extreme weather and other peak demand periods. The government is continuing to look at long-term solutions to reduce the cost of electricity while ensuring grid reliability.
Input for social studies curriculum: A second public engagement to develop a new social studies curriculumopens March 29. Albertans are welcome to read through the draft K-6 curriculum and provide feedback. The engagement follows a seven-month period where Alberta Education received feedback from education and community partners and curriculum development specialists. A pilot of the K-6 social studies curriculum is expected to be available in classrooms in the 2024-25 school year.
Supporting site rehabilitation: Alberta sided with Indigenous chiefs’ request to allocate unused funds for site clean-up on Indigenous lands. The federal government has requested that unused funds be returned to Ottawa. Approximately $137 million of the $1 billion in funding through the Site Rehabilitation Program remains unused by grant recipients.
What’s Next
Legislature: The Legislature is expected to sit until the end of May apart from breaks during the week of April 1st and the week of April 29th. The legislative calendar for 2024 can be found here.
Upcoming Legislation: The following legislation is expected to be introduced:
- Bill 12: Consumer Protection (Life Leases) Amendment Act, 2024 – Hon. Mr. Nally
Announcements
- Supporting Liability Management on Indigenous Land
- Affordable and reliable electricity for Albertans
- Building housing for the future
- New schools in Alberta’s growing communities
- Hitting all the right notes at the Winspear Centre
- Creating a better future for Alberta
- Protecting Albertans from drought
- Readout: Premier meets with Prime Minister
- Locking down repeat offenders
- Keeping Alberta families and communities safe
- Orders in Council
- Celebrating more affordable housing in Edmonton
- Draft social studies curriculum: Join the conversation
- Biathlon’s elite aim for gold in World Cup finals
- The right care when and where Albertans need it
- Sale of Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Line: Joint statement
- Keeping critical water infrastructure afloat
- ‘Product of USA’ labelling: Minister Sigurdson
- Putting Alberta’s artists centre stage
Key Resources