Table of contents

Overview

From June 29 to July 13, 2020, we gathered feedback to inform the development of regulations and the implementation plan for the new Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act.

Clare's Law came into effect on April 1, 2021 to allow people who feel they may be at risk of domestic violence to find out if their partner has a violent or abusive past.

Alberta has the fourth-highest rate of police-reported intimate partner violence among Canadian provinces. Half of all young women and girls who are victims of domestic homicide are murdered by someone with a prior conviction. This law will help prevent domestic violence by giving people at risk the information they may need to protect themselves from harm.

Timeline

  • Open

    June 29 - July 13, 2020

  • Results under review

  • Completed

    March 2021

Who is listening

Ministry of Community and Social Services

Input received

Phase 2 of the engagement closed July 13, 2020. It gathered feedback through an online survey from key organizations and people with lived experience, experience helping survivors of domestic violence, and unique community and cultural perspectives related to addressing domestic violence.

Phase 1 of the engagement took place in July 2019. It consisted of stakeholder engagement roundtable sessions that gathered feedback from a variety of stakeholders with experience helping those affected by domestic violence. This phase helped inform the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act that received royal assent on October 30, 2019.

Thank you for your input.

Outcomes

Regulations and an implementation plan for Alberta’s version of Clare’s Law came into effect on April 1, 2021.

Visit Clare’s Law for more information or to apply to have someone’s past checked.

About Clare’s Law in Alberta

Protecting the public from domestic violence and abuse is the primary goal of Clare’s Law. It allows people to make informed choices about potentially harmful relationships.

  • The right to ask: people at risk have the option to ask if their partner has a history of domestic violence
  • The right to know: police can proactively disclose relevant information to people at risk, without an application
  • The right to privacy: personal information will be safeguarded and only relevant details will be disclosed

Related

Apply for Clare's Law disclosure

Clare’s Law

Family violence – Get help

Last updated: March 30, 2021