Alberta’s legislature will reconvene on Feb. 25, focusing on introducing “common sense legislation” while working to fill the void left by the federal government grinding to a halt due to prorogation.
Government House Leader Joseph Schow announced on Monday that the legislative session will include around 20 pieces of legislation. The first bill of the spring session, Budget 2025, will be introduced on Thursday.
The budget will address economic pressures from record-breaking population growth while managing the strain on provincial services.
While Schow avoided discussing details of specific bills, deferring to upcoming announcements from respective ministers, he said that the budget would feature amendments to the Alberta personal income tax.
Schow said the legislation will help Albertans cope with the rising cost of living. He emphasized that this upcoming session is extra significant amid global economic uncertainty.
“We are in the midst of global uncertainty with geopolitical change and shifting markets, and we are saddled with a federal government that’s so focused on internal party politics that they seem to have forgotten their duty to Canadians — forcing provinces to fill the gaps where they have failed,” he said.
While much of the legislation is focused on directly improving Albertans’ living standards, Schow said that Alberta’s government will continue to try to ease border and trade tensions with the United States. The province will also work to break down interprovincial trade barriers.
“We will continue to enact business-friendly policies that attract investment, continue our work to refocus the healthcare system, and as wildfire season inches closer, we will continue our preparations to protect Albertans and communities from the impacts of wildfires,” said Schow.
Schow added that some Liberal cabinet members are finally realizing the importance of an east-west pipeline after denying it for years.
“We have a federal government that has been missing in action for quite some time, who has failed to understand, or at least failed to respond to the needs of our province,” said Schow. “As we see the turmoil and the self-interest happening within the Liberal party, we’re not going to let that distract us from defending Alberta’s best interests.”
Alberta’s government unveiled nine of the approximately 20 pieces of legislation expected in this spring session. The upcoming legislation includes the Automobile Insurance Act, the Financial Statutes Amendment Act, and the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act.
Alberta Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Dan Williams said that legislation for involuntary treatment for drug addicts is forthcoming.
The previous legislative session saw lawmakers focus on protecting personal autonomy, property rights, and legal firearm ownership for Albertans.
The province also introduced sweeping changes to local election laws last spring. One of the changes will be piloted in the upcoming municipal elections in Edmonton and Calgary, which will introduce political parties at the municipal level.