Strengthening policing and public safety laws

• include the ability to form a police association if they choose to bargain collectively
• align ASPS police officers with the Police Officers Collective Bargaining Act (POCBA), ensuring the same labour relations framework that governs municipal police services in Alberta applies to ASPS police officers
• require that disputes be resolved through arbitration rather than strikes or lockouts to ensure policing services are never disrupted

Professional discipline remains outside collective bargaining, as it is addressed under the Police Act.

Non-police employees

No legislative changes are required for future ASPS civilian employees, as they would fall under the Public Service Employee Relations Act (PSERA), which is the standard labour relations framework for most provincial Crown corporations.

• expand eligibility so permanent residents can become ASPS police officers, which will broaden Alberta’s recruitment pool, helping the ASPS attract qualified and skilled candidates from diverse backgrounds (this change will align ASPS recruitment with other police services across Alberta)
• require municipal police commissions to develop their diversity and inclusion plans with a focus on merit and increased community engagement, aligning their practices with those being established for the ASPS
   

Changes will establish a legal framework for Alberta’s government to enter into inmate transfer agreements with other jurisdictions. This will provide the authority for Alberta to negotiate, implement, and operationalize interjurisdictional transfer agreements for all adult inmates, enhancing coordination and cooperation across provincial and territorial boundaries. 

Changes will strengthen information-sharing rules for the Integrated Threat and Risk Assessment Centre (ITRAC), reduce delays and ensure more complete and reliable threat assessments. 

ITRAC is a provincially-run program that trains threat assessors and conducts specialized assessments to manage high-risk domestic violence offenders and provide Albertans with information about an intimate partner’s violent history under Clare’s Law.

These updates would help keep Albertans safer by making it easier for police and partners to share the information needed to protect those at risk of domestic violence.

If passed, proposed amendments would:

• provide the ITRAC with clear legal authority to access and disclose necessary information to avoid delays in completing threat assessments
• establish a legal foundation for ITRAC under Clare’s Law to reduce risks and streamline access to information and processes
• address operational delays, liability concerns and uncertainty among law enforcement partners regarding information sharing
• aim to protect personal privacy while helping address Alberta’s rising rates of domestic violence by ensuring police and partners can act quickly and responsibly to keep people safe

The act will also:

• exclude future ASPS officers from the Public Service Employee Relations Act, Labour Relations Code and Employment Standards Code
• include ASPS officers in the definition of first responders under the Workers’ Compensation Act, making them eligible for psychological injury presumptions and Heroes' Fund payments, should they die from a work-related cause