Alberta Minute: Quebec Collaboration, Diplomatic Efforts, and a Career College Registry

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

This Week In Alberta:

• Premier Danielle Smith wants to collaborate with Quebec Premier François Legault to strengthen provincial autonomy and push back against federal overreach. In a letter to Legault, Smith expressed support for several of Quebec’s proposed measures, including challenging the federal spending power and reinforcing provincial control over their constitutional jurisdiction. She also emphasized the importance of elected legislatures, rather than federal judges, determining constitutional rights. Quebec’s Justice Minister welcomed the proposal, seeing it as a way to strengthen provincial authority within Canada.
  
  
• Alberta's new Extended Producer Responsibility program is shifting the cost of recycling from municipalities to the companies that produce packaging and single-use items. This change is expected to save municipalities millions, with Edmonton alone anticipating $24 million in savings this year. Residents in cities like Calgary, Red Deer, and Lethbridge are already seeing lower waste utility rates. The program aims to increase recycling rates, reduce landfill waste, and encourage companies to innovate in packaging design. While businesses may face slight cost increases, experts believe the impact on consumer prices will be minimal. The next phase, set for October 2026, will expand recycling access to remote and Indigenous communities.
  
  
• Alberta is introducing a Private Career College Registry to improve transparency and protect students amid rising complaints - and rising enrollment. The registry will provide details on all licensed vocational training programs, including costs, duration, and any compliance actions taken against institutions. Officials say the move will help students make informed decisions by clearly identifying colleges that have violated regulations. Since June 2024, the Province has taken action against several schools, including stop orders, audits, and licence revocations. The government aims to crack down on “bad actors” while supporting the growth of quality vocational training.

Last Week In Alberta:

• Premier Danielle Smith credited her diplomatic efforts for helping Canada avoid new US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump. She emphasized that her strategy of dialogue and persuasion was key to maintaining tariff-free trade under the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement. Smith urged other Canadian leaders to adopt a similar approach focused on diplomacy rather than confrontation.
  
  
• Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf has rejected claims from a US trade report that Montana-based electricity producers are being treated unfairly by the Alberta Electricity System Operator (AESO). The report accuses AESO of prioritizing Alberta-generated electricity and imposing restrictions on imported power. Neudorf insists all power generators are treated equally and decisions are based on grid reliability, not protectionism. Despite decreased imports from Montana in recent years, Alberta still receives more electricity from the state than from BC or Saskatchewan. The Province is currently overhauling its grid system, aiming to improve interconnectivity and infrastructure by 2027. AESO officials say they are working to expand import capacity from both Canadian and US sources.
  
  
• The Province has signed a four-year agreement with Alberta’s nurses that includes a 20% wage increase by 2028 and stronger job security protections. The deal, approved by nearly 96% of voting union members, follows months of negotiations and mediation. It also guarantees support for staffing levels, wage top-ups for on-call and charge duty shifts, and mentoring bonuses for experienced nurses guiding new graduates. The Province committed to hiring 1,000 new nursing graduates annually under a transition program designed to ease them into the profession. Finance Minister Nate Horner said the contract makes Alberta more competitive and reduces reliance on private or international nurses. The deal also restores presumptive workers’ compensation for nurses facing trauma, a measure welcomed by the Opposition Health Critic.

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