Digital Regulatory Assurance System

Overview

Since June 2021, Alberta's government has been developing an online Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS).

The digital system maintains high environmental standards, makes the review of applications for approvals and licences more transparent and efficient, and clarifies the environmental regulatory expectations of applicants. When it’s fully developed, DRAS will support authorization types managed by Environment and Protected Areas under the Water Act and the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, and authorization types managed by Forestry and Parks under the Public Lands Act. DRAS will be used to manage the entire lifecycle of a project from application to authorization, monitoring and compliance reporting, remediation and closure.

DRAS implementation

DRAS is being developed in phases. Currently, the following regulatory processes are applied for and managed through the system:

• Water Act approvals and approval amendments
• Water Act licences (surface water or groundwater) and licence amendments, renewals, transfers and amalgamations
• Water Act Temporary Diversion Licences (TDL) (surface water or groundwater) and TDL amendments
• Water Act Codes of Practice notices
• Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act pesticide registrations, amendments and renewals

Future DRAS rollouts include:

• Public Lands Act dispositions for commercial and industrial activities
• drinking water management and related activities that Environment and Protected Areas regulates

For applicants, DRAS provides:

• the ability to apply for one project with multiple activities through one portal
• clear application standards and requirements
• a transparent and efficient decision-making process
• the ability to track the status of applications
• provincewide consistency of application processes

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.

• Individuals submitting an application or Statement of Concern (SOC) require an Alberta.ca Account.
• If you are submitting an application or SOC in DRAS on behalf of a business, organization, municipality or government, an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations/business use is required.
  • Video – How to set up an Alberta.ca Account for Business for DRAS login

Step 2. Log in to DRAS

Once you have set up your Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations, you can use it to log in to DRAS and complete your user profile. An Alberta.ca Account/Account for Organizations is also required before an application or notice can be submitted through DRAS, or before a representative can be assigned to submit on your behalf.

Refer to the following knowledge article for more information:

• How to Log in to the Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS)

Step 3. Assign a representative in DRAS

An applicant can add representative(s) to their DRAS profile and delegate permission to representatives to read, write or submit applications on their behalf.

Refer to the following knowledge article and video for more information:

• How to Add a Representative to Your Profile (Applicant/Holder) in DRAS
• Accessing DRAS, assigning representatives and delegating access

Supported browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox

Mobile browsers are currently not supported.

Go to DRAS

Move My Licence: Water Act

'Move My Licence' is a call for Water Act licence holders in Alberta to move water licences issued before November 2021 into DRAS. Licences renewed and amended after November 2021 are already in DRAS and do not need to be moved.

Follow the steps below for greater transparency, accuracy and efficiency when managing and reporting on your water licences and water use:

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

Refer to the following instructional aids for help with the process of moving your water licence(s) into DRAS:

• Video – Move my Licence to DRAS for Water Licences
• Knowledge article – What is Move My Licence: Water Act
• Knowledge article – How to Move my Water Act Licence to DRAS

Indigenous consultation process

To align with Alberta’s proponent-led Indigenous consultation method, applicants for Water Act approvals and licences can use the Aboriginal Consultation Office Digital Service to manage their regulatory consultation file.

Learn more about Indigenous consultation in Alberta in this knowledge article:

• What is Indigenous Consultation in Alberta?

Report an incident

Report an Incident is available in DRAS for self-reporting and reporting public concerns. It features online report forms for 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 (Environmental and Dangerous Goods Emergencies) at 1-800-222-6514. For more information, see Alberta EDGE.

Related

• Alberta Wetland Policy implementation
• Water Act forms
• Water Codes of Practice
• Water legislation and guidelines