Overview
The travel policy for elected official missions outlines processes and requirements for elected officials travelling outside of the province. It was last updated October 2024.
To view expenses related to travel, accommodation, meals and hospitality incurred while on government business, visit travel and expense disclosure.
Criteria
- Travel should be planned appropriately and align with fiscal prudency principles as outlined in the Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive.
- Travel must support Alberta’s current international, domestic and intergovernmental objectives, priorities, and ministry business plans.
- Determine whether travel objectives can best be achieved by the Premier of Alberta (Premier), minister or Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), or whether staff from the Premier’s Office or senior officials from the Alberta Public Service such as deputy ministers could achieve the same objectives. Examples of travel that may require elected official participation include, but are not limited to:
- promoting Alberta as an attractive destination for investment, jobs, and economic progress
- representing Alberta at intergovernmental meetings
- engagement with other senior government officials and high-level stakeholders to advocate and advance priorities that support, develop and shape Alberta’s future
- meeting with international organizations such as United Nations and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
- speaking opportunities that promote Alberta to influential stakeholders
- development of regulatory frameworks, trade negotiations and execution of national and international agreements
- building strategic relationships within priority markets and sectors, and facilitating international cooperation
- attending major international events that will be produced in Alberta in future years to gain comprehension on event elements
- Ensure travel does not conflict with legislative responsibilities or house duties.
- Where the timing of the Premier, minister, or MLA travel is discretionary, any conflict with the legislative session or other domestic ministerial responsibilities should be avoided. Approval to travel during the sitting of a legislative session will have to be obtained by the travelling official from the House Leader before a travel request can be submitted.
- The Premier, ministers and MLAs are encouraged to plan travel into regions to avoid a high frequency of travel, manage expenditures and coordinate travel plans to avoid overlapping international and domestic travel, unless there is a strategic reason for doing so.
Approval process
- Requests for the Premier’s formal approval should be submitted to the office of the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental and International Relations, Executive Council (IIR, EXC) for processing to maximize the amount of planning time to coordinate the travel.
- Ideally, allow 6 weeks before the departure date for international travel, and 3 weeks before departure for domestic out-of-province travel, for approval and planning of travel.
- Any MLA (non-minister) travel on behalf of a ministry is the responsibility of the ministry supporting the travel, expenses included.
- IIR does not oversee travel requests for deputy ministers or department officials with the Alberta Public Service (APS). Deputy ministers or department officials must seek travel approval through internal department channels and are not to be included in the Travel Authorization form for Elected Officials. The Elected Officials Travel Authorization Form is intended for Premier, ministers and MLAs and any accompanying political staff only.
- Complete an Elected Official Travel Policy for Outside of Alberta form, including the travel objectives and key initiatives, cost estimates and staff that will be travelling to support the elected official(s). A detailed draft itinerary or outline of travel must be submitted with the completed form to the Deputy Minister of IIR, EXC.
- IIR will complete a Travel Recommendation for all international travel. The Travel Recommendation will accompany the prepared travel request package to the Premier’s Office for approval.
- Travel Recommendations are not completed for domestic travel within Canada.
- Requests will be reviewed and forwarded to the Premier’s Chief of Staff, or the Premier’s Chief of Staff’s designate, for final approval.
- For Premier’s travel, travel requests are to be submitted to the President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance for approval and should include the same documents as required for ministers and MLAs.
- The Premier, ministers and MLAs must include any personal time that may be taken in conjunction with an international or domestic out-of-province travel period on the Elected Official Travel Policy for Outside of Alberta form. Personal time expenses must be borne personally by the Premier, minister or MLA.
- If spouses wish to travel with the Premier, a minister or MLA for business or personal reasons, prior approval must be received from the Office of the Premier.
- In the case of the Premier, prior approval must be received from the President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.
- All expenses related to spousal participation on a trip will be borne personally by the Premier, minister or MLA, unless the travel is approved as official government business.
- The Premier, minister or MLA must indicate on the Elected Official Travel Policy for Outside of Alberta form that their spouse will be accompanying them during the travel period.
- If, for any reason, the approved travel dates, destinations and/or participants change, the Premier, Minister or MLA must submit an amended Elected Official Travel Policy for Outside of Alberta form to the Deputy Minister of IIR, EXC by checking the box marked 'amendment'.
- A revised breakdown of expenses will be required for an amended travel request package.
- All changes must be highlighted on the new form.
- The amended travel form and accompanying documentation will be reviewed and forwarded to the Premier’s Chief of Staff for final approval.
- For Premier travel amendments, a new travel form and package must be submitted to the President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.
- The Premier, minister or MLA must work together with IIR EXC to ensure co-ordination of Alberta’s presence in the region for travel to the same region or repeat travel. Part of the co-ordination is to also discuss any possible health, security or political issues relating to their travel.
- This may include situations concerning both human and animal health threats, such as COVID-19, H1N1, SARS, BSE, foot and mouth disease or avian flu.
- This coordination with IIR may also include highlighting concerns about travelling to areas subject to potential terrorist threats, regions of instability or civil war, or countries that are subject to international sanctions for human rights violations.
- The International Travel Registry (ITR) should be completed for each person travelling outside of Canada when the travel is approved.
- The information is compiled strictly for risk management purposes in the event of a natural disaster or other emergencies.
- The International Travel Registry provides a single, convenient location to locate and assist any Alberta government staff that may be affected.
- Departments may only incur costs related to the travel after approval is provided. Ministries are responsible for travel costs for their own ministers and any MLAs for whom they seek approval for travel.
News releases
News releases
1.1 Information on international travel for elected officials must be released to the public in the form of a news release no later than 24 hours prior to any travel outside of Canada unless there are security reasons not to do so. The news release must include:
- dates and objectives of the travel
- basic itinerary
- list of delegation, including the Premier, minister or MLA as well as:
- Premier’s Office staff
- Minister’s Office staff
- all Government of Alberta (GOA) staff. The exception would be GOA International Office staff accompanying the Premier, minister or MLA on travel within their designated territory or GOA staff participating in trade shows, conferences or events that are part of their core business. These staff are not considered to be part of the elected official’s delegation.
- information about events (for example, conference or meeting programs) to be attended by elected officials (included as background if available)
1.2 News releases are to be coordinated with the Premier’s Communications Office.