Alberta Tables Omnibus ‘Red Tape’ Bill Impacting Legislation Across 9 Ministries

In this May 5, 2016 photo provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Alberta, an RCMP officer surveys the damage on a street in fire-ravaged Fort McMurray, Alberta. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Alberta via The Canadian Press via AP

Alberta’s UCP government tabled an omnibus “red tape” bill on March 8 it says will strengthen property rights for landowners and provide benefits for firefighters who developed certain cancers after fighting the Fort McMurray wildfires.

Bill 9, also called the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2023, is the province’s seventh red tape reduction bill. If passed, the bill will amend 14 individual pieces of existing legislation across nine government departments.

Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, said the purpose of the bill is not just to eliminate red tape, but to regulate more efficiently.

“Smarter regulation is often instrumental in delivering government services more efficiently and effectively for Albertans,” he said at a news conference on March 8.

One of the bill’s amendments will modify the Worker’s Compensation Act, to provide presumptive cancer coverage to firefighters who were involved in fighting the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. The bill will allow firefighters and their families to access benefits and support without certain exposure period requirements for linking cancer to the job.

Under current Workers’ Compensation Board rules, a firefighter must serve on the job for 10 years with regular exposure to the hazards of fire to qualify for coverage and benefits for brain cancer, and 15 years to qualify for lung cancer if a non-smoker.

Brian Jean, minister of jobs, economy and northern development, also spoke at the news conference.

“This fire was unprecedented in Alberta’s history. Never before had a single fire involved so many structures burning at the same time and required so many firefighters to combat it at the same time,” said Jean, who also lost his house in the fire.

“This special amendment we are proposing here today recognizes the incredible risks those men and women took and endured.”

Provincial Jurisdiction

Another significant amendment will see government income supports suspended for violent offenders with outstanding warrants. The legislation will be amended to allow the disclosure of outstanding warrants to the director of income support.

The government said the bill will also clarify trespass legislation to state that rules about unlawful entry onto Albertan’s private property apply also to federal employees.

Jean said the clarification was necessary, so the federal government “recognizes that trespass law will apply to them.”

“They are not our bosses, and they need to see where that line is drawn,” he said.

“Federal legislation does not supersede provincial legislation. We are partners in Confederation,” added Jean. “They need to make sure that they’re within the legislative rights that they have under the Constitution.”

Among other amendments is the removal of a clause in LRT funding contracts with Calgary and Edmonton, that allowed the province to terminate funding for a project with 90 days’ notice. The government said this will provide more investment certainty and encourage more bids on future public transit projects.