Cut Red Tape

Safety codes permitting and inspection services

• streamline online safety codes permitting and inspections services to reduce paperwork for accredited organizations and increase efficiency of site inspections

Audit process for accredited organizations

• reduce administrative burden of audits for organizations accredited under the Safety Codes Act to deliver permitting and inspection services in their jurisdictions by clarifying and reducing the number of documents to be submitted, and increasing time allowed to respond to audit reports

Private sewage disposal system permitting

• simplify the application process and reduce submission requirements for permit applications

National Fire Protection Association students

• provide students with better access to their records by combining two certificates into one, and providing records and certificates access to students through an online system

Owner-builder authorization and rental construction

• streamline the process for those applying for owner-builder authorization and rental use designations
• these changes will reduce turnaround time, simplify the application process and allow construction to occur sooner

Residential Protection Program refund policies

• relax operational policies that restrict owner-builders’ eligibility for refunds from the Residential Protection Program
• this reduces costs for clients and better aligns the program with other government programs

New Home Buyer Protection processes

• simplify and clarify processes for determining whether the New Home Buyer Protection Act applies
• this brings clarity to municipalities, removes unnecessary requirements for applicants and creates a standard application

Sub-division and designated industry property appeals

• introduce enhanced alternative dispute resolution through formal pre-hearing telephone conferences to help lower the volume and costs of Municipal Government Board sub-division and designated industrial property appeals

Safety Codes Council exam registration process

• reduce the number of forms an exam proctor must complete when administering an in-house Safety Codes Council exam
• the change allows proctors to administer multiple exams using one form, instead of having to fill out one form for each exam

Access to safety codes, standards and guides

• provide online access to safety codes, standards and other products at a reduced cost or for free, reducing costs for safety codes officers, accredited organizations, owners, designers and other code users

Alberta Safety Codes Authority Agency Payment System

• Agencies will only submit the net difference between accounts receivable and accounts payable invoices
• This will reduce the total number of transactions required

Residential Protection program approvals

• Improving turnaround time by adopting an electronic approval process

Private Sewage Standard of Practice and Alberta Electrical Utility Code

• Both documents will be made available for free via PDF

Variances Registered with the Safety Codes Council

• Updating templates and communications materials to clarify that only the approved variance, and not supporting information, must be registered with the council.

Safety Codes Council Appeals

• Streamline the appeals process by allowing appellants and respondents to provide only one copy of evidence packages.
• PDF and fillable forms would be developed to reduce administration for the public when submitting an appeal.

Code of Conduct Regulation (under the Electric Utilities Act)

• simplify code of conduct requirements regarding disclosure statements for electricity retailers
• simplify the advertisement requirements for electricity retailers and natural gas services

Independent Power and Small Power Regulation

• repeal regulation as it's no longer required

Innovative Energy Technologies Regulation

• repeal regulation as it's no longer required

Reclassify oilwell service rigs

• exempt oilwell service rigs from some regulatory requirements on commercial vehicles and to align with other provinces
• reduces administrative burden for industry

Service rigs harmonization

• harmonize rig classification standards across provinces
• reduces administrative burden for industry

Flexibility for oil and gas companies

• enable oil and gas companies to use professional engineers and quality assurance programs to manage the safety of their own uncertified equipment, to increase flexibility while maintaining safety and environmental protections

Registration of pressure vessels and piping systems

• launch a website where pressure vessels and piping systems can be registered online, improving the ability of regulatory authorities across Canada to share and access information

Tourism and Commercial Recreation Growth

• Give tourism operators longer leases on public lands.
• Longer leases makes it easier for operators to secure financing, makes the industry more competitive and strengthens the economy.

Liquor in provincial parks

• Lift all liquor bans in provincial parks campgrounds for the May long weekend and as of June 28, 2019 for select day-use area picnic sites, allowing adults to responsibly enjoy alcoholic beverages in provincial campsites and with food at 14 day-use picnic sites.
• News release: Liquor ban quashed and rules relaxed (May 16, 2019)
• News release: Provincial parks day-use liquor sites selected (June 28, 2019)

AGLC craft liquor sales at artisan markets

• Modernizes policy so craft liquor sales are available at a greater number of artisan craft markets, almost tripling the number of eligible markets.

AGLC Special Licensed Events

• Clarify that enclosed events like festivals can choose where patrons can consume alcohol.

AGLC Alternative Financial Security for Gaming Retailers

• Approve cash deposits from retailers as an alternative financial security for gaming retailers.
• Prior to this change, obtaining approval could take up to 6 weeks and had to be renewed every 2 years at a cost to the business of approximately $400-500.

Simplifying processes for class D liquor delivery service licensees

• Licensees are no longer required to record information when liquor deliveries are made to individuals who appear to be under 25 years old.
• Licensees are no longer required to complete Delivery Order Slips.

Weed appeal process

• streamline Weed Control Act appeal process to shorten the wait time to get a decision
• an outside adjudicator will review appeals through their own independent hearing, which will significantly shorten processing time

Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) lending mandate

• implement the AFSC lending mandate that was approved in January 2018, which will provide assistance to agriculture processors, producers and agri-businesses
• this includes establishing an agribusiness lending group to work with agricultural processors

Surplus crown rural property appraisals

• update and simplify the current appraisal policy on rural property sales
• this change will reduce government costs and speed up the rural property sales process by as much as 4 weeks

Public land leases

• Extends public land leases to a maximum of 20 years, in order to give long-term certainty to ranchers with exemplary stewardship
• Grazing Lease Stewardship Code of Practice

Agricultural Disaster Recovery Program funding

• enable the option to use Canadian Land Inventory rates in lieu of requiring quotes for calculating agricultural Disaster Recovery Program funding for land restoration
• the change speeds up the process and helps landowners who have difficulty obtaining quotes.

Financial assistance for agriculture producers

• Shifting the mandate of the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation to providing financial assistance to young and new producers, developing producers, agri-food processors and agri-business.

Streamlined forms for the Forest Genetic Resources Management and Conservation Standards (FGRMS)

• Five forms used for reforestation material collection, registration, and deployment were reviewed with the goal to digitize the paper forms, allow approval by digital signatures, remove duplicated information, and reduce the amount of requested information

Regulated Forest Management Profession Act

• Unify the College of Alberta Professional Technologists and the College of Alberta Professional Foresters into one professional regulatory organization – the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals.

Amend the Forestry Management Act

• Change the delegation of all Forest Management Agreements (FMA) approvals from an Order in Council to a Ministerial Order.

Multi-year grant agreements

• move current grant funding agreements for various ministries to multi-year grant agreements
• provides certainty to stakeholders and reduces time used to apply for grants, freeing up non-profit organizations so they can focus on delivering programs and services.

Electronic funds transfers

• set up e-transfers for Community Grant Programs
• this will allow organizations to receive their funding about a week after notification, rather than an average wait of 100 days

AGLC charity non-cheque payments

• expand the use of electronic fund transfers for charities when making payments from their casino bank accounts
• charities have previously been required to use cheques (requiring two signatures)

Automatic enrolment from AISH to Seniors Benefit

• Enable the automatic enrolment of AISH program recipients into Seniors Financial Assistance programs at age 65.

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

• Eliminate all of Alberta's procurement exceptions from the CFTA in order to create more competition for contracts and enable Alberta companies to bid in larger Canadian markets.
• Review Alberta's remaining exceptions to further liberalize trade within Canada.

Condominium regulations

• Update condominium regulations to ensure they do not cause red tape and based on feedback from consultations.
• Condominium rules consultation

Municipal government property tax incentives

• Allow municipalities to provide property tax incentives for up to 15 years, in order to attract new investments and support the economic needs of their communities.
• Property tax incentives webpage

Public Health Act Forms Regulation

• Repeal the regulation so changes to public health forms can be made more easily and the forms can be made available online.

MyAlberta evacuation payments

• Enable evacuees to apply online and receive one-time emergency funding via Interac e-Transfer.
• This alleviates the need for travel to specific locations and wait in line to receive financial assistance, saving them time and reducing administration of the program for government.

Job creation student wage

• Implement a job creation student wage of $13 for students who are 17 years of age or younger, to encourage employers to hire young Albertans for their first job.

General holidays

• Restore prior labour rules for general holidays.

Banked overtime hours

• Restore prior rules for employers that allow overtime hours to be banked at straight time.

Fair Registration Practices Act

• Ensure that regulated professions, and individuals applying for registration by regulated professions, are governed by registration practices that are transparent, objective, impartial and fair.

Municipal Disaster Recovery Program application process

• Upgrade the application form so eligible municipalities can receive disaster financial assistance payments faster, and for their recovery efforts to begin sooner.

Disaster Recovery Program applications

• Develop a secure online website for municipalities to directly upload information in support of Disaster Recovery Program applications.
• This expedites the transmission of information and increases security around the process.

Rental recovery application process – surface lease agreements

• Streamline and reduce the number of forms for landowners to complete when applying to recover money that is past due under a surface lease agreement.
• This change means only one application is needed and is processed faster.

Surface Rights Board decisions

• Implement a new process for board decisions in order to reduce delays between hearings and the release of decisions.

Elimination of vehicle recertification requirements

• Eliminate the requirement that vehicles converted to be powered by a different fuel (i.e., gasoline to propane) be re-certified every three years.

Flexibility for accredited municipalities and corporations

• Enable accredited municipalities and corporations to issue jurisdiction-wide variances.
• This change reduces administrative burden and allows designers and owners to proceed with construction more quickly.

Reporting and application requirements for accredited municipalities and corporations

• Reduce unnecessary/redundant requirements placed on accredited municipalities, and corporations, including simplifying accreditation applications and remove a requirement for an internal audit in the same year as a Safety Codes Council audit.

System administration for accredited municipalities

• Eliminate requirement for accredited municipalities to have quality management plan updates approved by municipal councils.

Administrative fees for Safety Codes Council services

• Reduce administrative costs for safety codes officers and master electricians for certain services such as training equivalency requests, preparation of records/photocopying and replacing certificates or identification cards.

Safety Codes Council (SCC) and Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) personnel change process

• Eliminate requirement for government to approve every key personnel change at the SCC or ABSA.
• Administrators authorized to perform key tasks under the Safety Codes Act will be appointed by job title instead of name, reducing disruptions for safety codes officers, municipalities and pressure equipment operators.

Public library project grants

• Create multi-year project grant agreements for public library grant recipients, eliminating the need to complete a grant agreement each year and speeding up the processing of grant payments.

Real estate sector advertising guidelines

• Suspend the implementation of new advertising in the real estate sector. This halts the implementation of any new bylaw, rule, policy or interpretation, unless approved by the minister.
• The new guidelines, which dictate the font and logo sizes in realtor advertising, would impose significant costs on real estate businesses, but present no obvious improvement or benefit for consumers in comparison to existing guidelines.

Digital proof of insurance

• Introduced digital proof of automobile insurance enabling drivers quick, safe and easier access when asked to provide it.

Legal Aid eligibility requirements for recipients of Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH):

• Automatically accept AISH clients applying for legal aid, provided their legal matter falls within Legal Aid’s scope of services.

Barcoding for standard handwritten violation tickets:

• Introducing barcodes in standard handwritten multi-part violation tickets used by enforcement agencies.
• Will bring more accuracy and efficiency to the system and support the future Traffic Ticket Digital Service, under development.
• Will provide Albertans with more choices, including using their smartphone to pay traffic fines, request time to pay and /or make partial payments.

Personal property registrations:

• Require civil enforcement agencies to discharge all inactive personal property registrations more than 10 years old.
• Without a discharge, an Albertan’s future credit rating could have been affected even when the action had been settled.
• This change also means Albertans don’t need to obtain a court order for a discharge.

MyAlberta Digital ID

• Introduced digital ID that can validate identity online. This innovation enabled people evacuated from their homes during the 2019 wildfires to apply for financial support online instead of in person.
• Evacuees were able to deposit funds directly – and promptly – into their accounts.

Outcome-based regulatory approach

• Established the outcome-based regulatory approach to minimize regulatory impacts on citizens and businesses; tasking each ministry with enacting a Red Tape Reduction Plan of its own.

Online tool for seniors' financial assistance

• Online tool for seniors to easily and securely submit financial benefit applications and supporting documents such as forms, banking information and receipts.
• Seniors Financial Assistance

Board recruitment process

• Centralize board member recruitment to Alberta’s agencies, boards and commissions.

Digital projects request for proposals format

• Reduce the time to respond to an information technology request for proposal by approximately two-thirds, saving vendors and government time, and making it easier for smaller vendors to bid on government projects.

Affordable housing income verification review

• Review the income verification process to make applying for affordable housing easier and more efficient for applicants and housing providers.

Eliminate outdated permits

• Update the dimension and configuration limits for commercial vehicles to eliminate unnecessary permitting.

Streamlining requirements and training for workplace health and safety committees

• Committees and representatives will be required for each employer, rather than each work site.
• Required training for committee members will be reduced from two courses to one course.

Repeal the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Foundation Act

• The foundation has not existed since 2002 and its functions are no longer part of the Persons with Developmental Disabilities program.

Amend the Glenbow-Alberta Institute Act

• Remove a provision that prescribes the management and display of items in the Glenbow Institute's collection.

Repeal the Small Power Research and Development Act

• All contracts under this Act have concluded and the Small Scale Generation Regulation already supports market-based electricity generation from renewable and alternative energy sources.

Amend the Hydro and Electric Energy Act

• Modernize legislation and remove unnecessary requirements for small scale and low-impact hydroelectric development.

Dissolve the Health Professionals Advisory Board

• The board has not been used since 2012, and was recommended to be dissolved by the Public Agency Secretariat as part of the review of agencies, boards and commissions.

Repeal references to "chiropractic services" in the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act

• Chiropractic services are no longer insured services, making this section no longer applicable.

Amend the Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act

• Change the legal requirements to more easily provide a valid consent through the online registry.

Amend the M.S.I Foundation Act

• Update the board's appointment process and streamline recruitment, repeal an approval requirement to preserve the foundation's autonomy, modernize for efficiencies and clarify the legislation

Amend the Municipal Government Act

• Streamline provisions that are hampering administrative efficiencies for municipalities.

Amend the Safety Codes Act

• Enable the adoption of upcoming building and fire code updates, which will allow for taller wood construction, by repealing a legislative provision that restricts wood construction to six storeys in height.

Affordable housing income verification review

• Review the income verification process to make applying for affordable housing easier and more efficient for applicants and housing providers.

Provincial recycling program materials

• Streamline fee changes through an administrative process rather than requiring regulatory amendment.
• This ensures provincial recycling programs are financially sustainable and that Albertans continue to have access to these recycling opportunities.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) professions regulation

• Amendment to authorize LPNs to order or apply non-ionizing radiation in ultrasound imaging, including any application of ultrasound to a fetus.

Access to the Future Act

• The act will be repealed as payments from the fund have been suspended since 2015 as a cost savings measure.
• The funds in the Advanced Education Endowment will remain part of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, and the funds in the Access to the Future Fund will be transferred to the General Revenue Fund.

Campus Alberta Strategic Directions Committee

• This committee has been inactive since March 2015 and will be dissolved.

Annual operating plans for private early childhood services operators forms

• Improving process to allow for the auto population of current information, bringing forward previously loaded documents and automatic alerts regarding expiring documents.

Combining the Program Unit Funding Eligibility form and the Program Unit Funding Educational Environmental Impact Statement forms

• The two forms will be combined.
• School authorities will no longer have to enter the child's personal information twice, eliminating potential for administrative error and redundancy.

Program Unit Funding Specialized Equipment and Furniture Form

• School authorities will no longer have to upload forms to their SharePoint folder for pre-approval of equipment as children move or for each equipment change.
• School authorities will provide one list attached to their budget submission for review and approval.

School profile reporting requirements

• Reducing the number of questions related to allocation criteria for education programs in institutions.

School board contracts

• Remove the requirement for ministerial (or designate) approval for school boards to award contracts over $200,000

Reciprocating Jurisdictions Regulation

• Amend the regulation and add the state of Arizona to the list of jurisdictions that Alberta has reciprocal enforcements of judgement with.

Flexible averaging agreements

• These agreements will be eliminated since Alberta has returned to straight-time overtime banking.

Trucking rules

• Updating the dimension and configuration limits for commercial vehicles to meet modern standards and eliminate unnecessary permitting.

Temporary Marriage Commissioner application

• Reduction of the internal processes and approvals within Service Alberta.

Insurance Agents and Adjusters Regulation

• Amend the regulation to allow the General Insurance Council to consider equivalences to qualification examinations for general insurance agent licensing.

Special Event Permits in Alberta Parks

• Enable an online portal for the public to access forms.

Alberta Emergency Services Medal program

• Improving the nomination process to provide clarity and save time for nominators.

Student Tax Receipts

• Improved access to tax receipts for courses taken by making them available through the Council Connect website.

Conservation and Reclamation Amendment Regulation

• Delegate the Minister's authority to department staff holding certain classifications to release reclamation security funds.

Stocking private fish ponds

• Allow select pond owners to stock private fish ponds without having to wait for whirling disease sampling and testing to be completed.

Residential and Commercial Solar program

• Close program as the program goals have been achieved and the program is fully subscribed.

Single Parks Public Information Line

• Consolidate the Reserve Alberta Parks Service Alberta Contact Centre phone line with the Kananaskis Information Line.

Code of practice for power lines impacting wetlands

• A streamlined regulatory process makes it easier for Alberta’s electricity providers to carry out their winter construction plans.
• The code of practice maintains environmental protections and applies a more appropriate level of oversight for low risk construction activities.

Small Brewer Markup Rates Application

• Revisions have been made by AGLC to streamline the reporting requirements of small beer manufacturers in order to apply for a reduced markup rate through the Declaration of Annual Worldwide Production (AWP).
• Updating the application and disclosure package used by brewers/agencies to qualify for a small brewer markup rate reduces administrative burden and increases efficiency for industry.

Simplified reporting for housing providers

• Reducing time-consuming administrative tasks required of housing management bodies so they have more capacity to serve the needs of tenants.

Updated Proponent Guide to First Nations and Metis Settlement Consultation Procedures

• The updated guide outlines a more cost-effective and efficient application process for industry to follow when there is a legal duty to consult.

Liquor manufacturer supports

• Supports manufacturers by removing the need to use raw materials in the production of liquor products.
• Eliminates the maximum 20% of blended or flavoured liquor products requirement.

Flexibility for gaming facilities

• More variance for table betting limits on multiple wagers while eliminating duplicate policy creates greater flexibility for casino facility licensees.
• A summary of policy amendments can be found here.

Flexibility for First Nations charities

• Amendments give more flexibility to Host First Nations charities when staffing events while maintaining the integrity of casino events.

Simplifying liquor and cannabis store applications

• Eliminating the need for a lengthy Separation of Business document from liquor and cannabis store applicants.
• AGLC will continue to ensure licensees are aware of requirements without having to complete a complex Separation of Business document.

Streamlining approval process for liquor and cannabis licensing applicants

• Reduced objection period to seven days from 21.
• Applicants continue to obtain a business licence or municipal approval before a liquor or cannabis licence is issued. Municipalities ensure a community’s concerns are considered when they issue the business licence.
• Since the objection period was implemented in 2009, AGLC has received very few objections.

Cannabis store inventory management

• Cannabis chain stores can now transfer product between locations every 120 days.
• Supports retailers in selling slow moving products and enables chain stores to manage inventory levels.

Liquor store tasting fees

• Removes restrictions on the fees liquor store licensees may charge customers for tastings.
• Gives liquor stores the opportunity to set fees for liquor tastings that are not based on cost recovery.

Licensed restaurant off-sales

• An amendment to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation allows licensed restaurants and bars to sell liquor as part of their take-out and delivery services.

Definition of School in the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation (GLCR)

• Clarify the definition of school as it pertains to the location of retail cannabis stores in the GLCR to make licensing decisions easier for municipalities, AGLC and applicants.

Simplifying School Nutrition Program operational requirements

•  No longer requiring participating school authorities to submit a proposal, mid-year data collection, summary and financial statements, year-end data collection and summary, and rolling end-of-year financial statement into the school authority audited financial statements

Remove documentation/form requesting additions and closures of SuperNet connections

• School authorities will not have to fill out department forms as Alberta Education receives monthly reports from the vendor indicating any additions and closures

Remedial Action Plan Guideline

• Providing reporting instructions for unauthorized releases to help industry ensure it is fulfilling its regulatory requirements under the Remediation Regulation

Update Wildlife Renewable Protocols

• Alberta Environment and Parks drafted a Bird Migration Survey Protocol and a Post Construction Monitoring Protocol to create clarity and efficiency for the wind energy industry

Streamlined the Utilities Consumer Advocate procurement process

• The Utilities Consumer Advocate has piloted procurement of “issue experts” rather than “proceeding based experts” for several Alberta Utilities Commission proceedings, reducing the overall number of procurements
• The process continues to be refined and will be expanded

Creating a standing roster for Utilities Consumer Advocate vendors

• Enhanced the standardized Request for Proposals template used by the Utilities Consumer Advocate
•  Proposals will now be shorter and focus on key information that is relevant to the evaluation criteria requested

Electronic insurance transactions

• Allowing the collection of certain insurance approvals electronically

Usage Based Insurance

• Update the process the Superintendent of Insurance requires insurers to follow in implementing UBI discount programs for private passenger vehicles.

Alberta Automobile Insurance Rate Board Simplified Filing Guidelines

• Expand the circumstances that qualify for a simplified filing process from 3% to 5%; allowing insurance companies to obtain rate changes of up to 5% through a simplified filing process (Effective July 1, 2019)

Automobile Insurance Electronic Payments

•  Introduced use of electronic funds transfer option for payment of fees under the Automobile Insurance Rate Board Fees Regulation

Cannabis and auto insurance rate filings

• Clarify for insurers the Alberta Automobile Insurance Rate Board’s position on cannabis

Liquor sales on December 25

• Amendments to AGLC’s liquor retailer handbook allows liquor stores to be open on December 25

Warehousing for small beer manufacturers

• Amendments to AGLC’s liquor manufacturer handbook clarifies that small beer manufacturers may deliver their products:

1. directly to another licensee (self‐distribution);
2. to the central AGLC authorized warehouse (Connect Logistics Services); or
3. upon approval of the warehouse, any other AGLC authorized warehouse

Common Business Number program

• Implemented the Common Business Number program, which allows Alberta corporations and non-profit organizations to incorporate and get their federal business number in one step, and provides businesses with one easy method of identification that can be used for participating federal and provincial programs
• Common Business Number program in Alberta