Digital Regulatory Assurance System

Online system designed to clarify regulatory requirements and manage a project’s lifecycle from application to closure.

Important notices

Water well drilling and vertical closed-loop drilling applications move to DRAS

In fall 2024, application submissions for water well drilling (classes A, B, and C) and vertical closed-looped drilling (class F) will be in the Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS).

The addition of water well drilling and vertical closed-loop drilling applications to DRAS is a significant step in efforts to modernize and improve the regulatory system. More information coming soon.

Rock-hosted minerals Water Act applications

On February 28, 2024, the Mineral Resource Development Act (MRDA) was proclaimed.

Effective immediately the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) is the single lifecycle regulator for all brine-hosted and rock-hosted minerals in Alberta and all accompanying Water Act licences and approvals. All Water Act applications, including amendments and renewals related to mineral development are now applied for at:

Move my Licence: Water Act

As of February 2024, water licences issued under the Water Act prior to November 2021 and water use reporting will be moving from legacy systems to DRAS.

For information on how to move your water licence to the new system, where you will report your water use report moving forward, refer to knowledge articles for What is Move My Licence and How to Move My Licence: Water Act.

Submissions of Statements of Concern (Soc)

Effective January 1, 2024, email submissions of statements of concern (SoC) for Water Act applications will no longer be accepted. For information on how to submit an SoC, refer to the knowledge article How to Submit a Statement of Concern in DRAS. Individuals require an Alberta.ca account. For information on how to obtain an account, refer to the knowledge article How to Create an Alberta.ca Account.

If you are filing an SoC on behalf of a business, organization, municipality or government Alberta.ca Account for Organizations is required.  For information on how to obtain an account, refer to the knowledge article How to Create an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations for Access to DRAS.

Any SoCs received via mail or courier continue to be accepted.

Applications for Water Act licences

Applications for all Water Act licences, including renewals, and amendments must now be submitted through the Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS). For information on how to apply, amend and renew various Water Act licences in DRAS, refer to the knowledge articles in DRAS for Water Act application for licences.

For all Water Act licences issued, amended, or renewed in DRAS that require reporting, the licence holder must now report water use data in DRAS. For information on how to report water use data in DRAS, refer to knowledge article KB0023429.

WATERS is active for Alberta Energy Regulator applicants looking to obtain Temporary Diversion Licences.

Overview

On June 21, 2021, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas took a significant step towards streamlining its regulatory system with the new Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS).

DRAS will make reviewing applications more transparent and efficient while maintaining high environmental standards.

The new system is designed to clarify environmental regulatory expectations to applicants and to support all authorization types managed by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas under the Water Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, and the Public Lands Act. DRAS will be used to manage the entire lifecycle of a project from application to authorization, monitoring and compliance reporting, to remediation and closure.

Currently, the following are accepted through DRAS:

  • Water Act approval and approval amendment applications
  • Water Act licence applications (surface water or groundwater), and applications for licence amendments, renewals, transfers and amalgamations
  • new Water Act temporary diversion licence (TDL) applications (surface water or groundwater), and TDL amendment applications
  • Water Act code of practice notifications

DRAS implementation

DRAS will roll out in stages throughout 2021 to 2024 and will eventually house all applications online.

Future rollouts will include:

  • Public Lands Act dispositions for commercial and industrial activities
  • drinking water management and the remaining host of activities Alberta Environment and Protected Areas regulates

For applicants, DRAS provides:

  • the ability to apply for one project with multiple activities via an integrated application
  • clear, upfront application standards and requirements
  • a clear decision-making process
  • the ability to track the status of applications in real-time
  • increased provincewide consistency in application processes

Training

Instructional videos for DRAS are available on YouTube:

How to access DRAS

Step 1: Create an account

To access DRAS, all users require a valid Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations.

For help, email [email protected] or call 1-844-643-2789.

Step 2: Log in to DRAS

Once your Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations has been obtained, you must log in to DRAS with your Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations credentials to have a DRAS profile. This is required before an application or notice can be submitted or before a representative can be assigned to submit on your behalf.

Supported browsers:

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox

Mobile browsers are currently not supported.

Go to DRAS

DRAS delegation updates

Applicants can add representative(s) to their DRAS profiles to give permission to read, write and/or submit applications and further delegated permissions on their behalf. Find out more about this process:

Process improvements

Environment and Protected Areas strives to continuously improve the regulatory system and collects feedback from Albertans to improve DRAS.

The following updates improve how Albertans access, manage, organize and view their regulatory information across the lifecycle of an activity.

Key improvements include:

These enhancements increase transparency and provide Albertans with information and tools to successfully navigate the regulatory system.

Indigenous consultation process

To align with Alberta’s proponent-led Indigenous consultation method, applicants for Water Act approvals and Water Act licences, will now use the Aboriginal Consultation Office Digital Service to seek consultation requirements.

Information for Water Act approval and licence applicants on the proponent-led Indigenous consultation method can be found on DRAS:

Move My Licence: Water Act

Move My Licence is a call for water licence holders in Alberta to ‘move’ water licences issued prior to November 2021 into DRAS. DRAS helps water licence holders manage their water licence(s), report water use and access associated water use information more efficiently.

All water license holders are required to move their water licences into DRAS by the end of 2024. Follow the quick steps below for greater transparency, completeness, accuracy, and timeliness when managing your water licences and water use. For more detailed information, refer to knowledge articles for What is Move My Licence and How to Move My Licence: Water Act.

Three simple steps to move your water licence in DRAS:

  1. Log in to DRAS using your Alberta.ca or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations (see ‘How to Access DRAS’, above).
  2.  Select the ‘Move my pre-DRAS water licence records’ application form and enter your valid Water Act licence number and licence name. 
  3. Finish by verifying the auto-populated information and click Submit. 

Report an incident

Report an Incident is available to DRAS for self-reporting and public concerns. It features online report forms for several types of environmental incidents that may be in contravention of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act or the Public Lands Act

Emergency environmental and dangerous goods incidents are still reported by calling Alberta EDGE at 1-800-222-6514. For more information, see Alberta EDGE (Environmental and Dangerous Goods Emergencies).

Contact

Connect with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-6311
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]