Making government work better
Removing red tape – such as duplicate processes and unnecessary rules that do not add protections for Albertans and Alberta businesses – saves time, money, and resources while still protecting the environment, keeping Albertans safe and healthy, and upholding fiscal accountability.
Have an idea?
If you have come across a government process that is too complex, takes too long, serves no purpose, or is duplicative or wasteful, let us know about it. Submissions will be reviewed and sent to the responsible ministry for consideration and follow up.
Reports and fact sheets
To date, over 200,000 requirements have been eliminated and hundreds of Red Tape Reduction initiatives have been implemented, resulting in a cumulative savings exceeding $2.9 billion. These efforts have led to better access to health services, improved environmental monitoring, and easier access to the skills and education needed for success in today’s labor market and beyond.
Reports
Fact sheets and infographics
- Supporting Alberta’s education sector
- Supporting Alberta every day
- Supporting continuous improvement
- Supporting summer fun
- Supporting Alberta’s chemical manufacturing sector
- Supporting Alberta’s industrial manufacturing sector
- Supporting Alberta’s construction sector
- Supporting Alberta’s non-profit organizations
- Supporting the natural gas and electricity industries
- Supporting forestry and agriculture
- Supporting small businesses
- Supporting small producers in Alberta
- Supporting the tourism and hospitality industry
Recognizing our work
We’re very proud of the work we’ve done to reduce red tape for Albertans and Alberta businesses, and our efforts are being recognized nationally.
CFIB grades and awards
Each year, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) publishes its Provincial Red Tape Report Card grading the 10 provinces, along with the federal government, in three areas of regulatory performance: regulatory accountability, regulatory burden, and political priority. For four years in a row, Alberta has received top marks, earning and “A-” grade in 2022-23 (top amongst provinces), and “A” grades in 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2023-24.
Alberta has also received the CFIB’s Golden Scissors Award twice. This award recognizes the individuals or teams who have successfully motivated others to take action or produced meaningful, positive results in cutting red tape.
- In 2022, the Government of Alberta received the Golden Scissors Award for passing the Labour Mobility Act, which makes it easier to recognize out-of-province certifications in more than 100 regulated occupations, including optometrists, dental assistants, pharmacists, firefighters, veterinarians, social workers, accountants, and engineers. People in these occupations can start working in the province without having to undergo additional exams, education, or re-certification.
- In 2020, under the leadership of the Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction Grant Hunter, the Government of Alberta received the Golden Scissors Award for inviting citizens and businesses to submit their ideas to reduce burden to the Cut Red Tape website to be reviewed and addressed.
Raising the bar among restaurants
Every two years, Restaurants Canada produces its Raise the Bar report to evaluate how liquor policies are continuing to help or hinder bars and restaurants across the country.
In 2022, Alberta scored highest with a B+ grade, with “industry-leading liquor licencing regulations and policies governing how alcohol can be bought and sold”. Alberta’s grade rose from a B in the last report in 2019 after the province reduced red tape by more than a third for licensed establishments.
Key accomplishments
The following are some of the key changes that demonstrate Alberta’s red tape reduction efforts across government.
Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)Directive 020:Commingled Abandonment: Amendments to Directive 020 enabled commingled abandonment which allowed lower-risk oil and gas wells that have been developed together to be abandoned together if there is no risk to the public or environment. Previously, operators needed approval from the AER for each well licence. This change saved industry time and $584 million in one time saving in money that would have otherwise been spent on planning and material costs required to abandon wells while protecting the environment.
AER Directive 017: Measurement Requirements for Oil and Gas Operations: Revisions to Directive 017 removed certain well testing requirements in enhanced thermal operations. Removal of this prescriptive requirement will provide flexibility for in situ operators to potentially increase the number of wells on a pad, which could reduce overall footprint and decrease capital costs for pad development. This change will benefit the oil sands sector and improve well test data quality, and resulted in a one time savings of $390 million.
Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)—Waivers and Variances: AESO allowed companies to request a one-time waiver, or variance, to an applicable requirement in Independent System Operator rules that do not have alternate options to fulfilling the stated requirements. The AESO has also reduced the amount of data required from individuals or organizations applying to implement, commission, and maintain new energy facilities in the power pool. These changes have helped industrial and smaller-scale operators avoid losing revenue from delays in rule compliance, and resulted in a one time savings of $118 million.
Elimination of the Child Care Accreditation System: Government removed a duplicative childcare accreditation system running parallel to childcare licensing as more than 95 per cent of licensed childcare centres in Alberta are already accredited. This measure will eliminate the administrative and paperwork burden for licensed childcare centres and day homes and require annual reviews required by an accrediting body every three years. These changes will allow childcare operators to spend more time meeting the needs of children in care, and resulted in a one time savings of $12 million, and an annual savings of $3.8 million.
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Amendment Act: Promoted economic growth by enabling municipalities to create entertainment districts - designated public areas where adults may responsibly consume alcohol, helping revitalize communities, promote tourism and support local businesses.
Streamlined post-secondary program approval processes: Eliminated unnecessary application requirements, enabling post-secondary institutions to undertake independent reviews and improve turnaround times for program approvals to give post-secondary institutions more flexibility to develop new and innovative programs that respond to student and labour market needs.
Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act: Helped address labour shortages in the skilled trades and positioned the trades for future growth by making it easier for Albertans to gain employable skills in a wider variety of sectors.
Drove financial innovation: Introduced a “regulatory sandbox” to allow financial technology companies to test new, innovative products without having to immediately comply with all regulatory requirements. Alberta was the first province to establish a sandbox of this kind, continuing to provide a strong incentive for new and existing technology companies to operate in the province.
Responding to Albertans
Over 200,000 requirements have been eliminated and hundreds of Red Tape Reduction initiatives have been implemented, with many of these stemming from ideas from Albertans resulting in cumulative savings exceeding $2.9 billion.
What Albertans say
It has been very satisfying seeing how in just two short years, the Agriculture, Food and Bio-Industrial Panel has seen nearly 70% of the recommendations for red tape reduction be either fully completed or are nearly complete. This is saving our industry in both time and money.”
– Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, CEO, CL Ranches Ltd.
I want to commend Alberta’s government for amending trespass legislation to clarify and raise the profile of the right of landowners to control access to their property. This renewed focus on property rights is a refreshing and positive step forward for property owners in Alberta.”
– Peter J. Dobbie, KC, farmers’ and property rights advocate for Alberta
We’ve been working with the government over the last number of years regarding the health impacts from the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire and the needed support for firefighters and their families, and we’re grateful to see this cancer coverage moving forward.”
– Matt Osborne, president, Alberta Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association
Supporting a healthy business community is a priority for municipalities in local and regional economic development efforts. Reducing red tape and barriers to utilizing intermunicipal business licences and other regional approaches to economic development is an important step in allowing municipalities to play a larger role in growing their local and regional economies.”
– Paul McLauchlin, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta
Critical to the success of all businesses in Alberta is the ability to execute their growth plans and not face significant barriers to growth. Streamlining approval processes significantly helps businesses accelerate the pace at which they scale up and expand operations, and positions Alberta as attractive for investment that will not only diversify our economy but also bring new ideas, talent and innovation. All of this is important for Alberta's economic future.”
– Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
News
It's the law
The Red Tape Reduction Act was passed in 2019 that enables government to:
- create an inventory of current regulations and assess if they are effective
- focus on outcomes instead of processes to ensure all regulations are necessary, effective, efficient and proportional to their intended outcome
- develop red tape reduction plans in all departments to make sure current and new regulations are free of red tape
- coordinate cross-government activities and report on outcomes to make this initiative fully transparent to Albertans
Amendments to enhance the Red Tape Reduction Act, and the new Red Tape Reduction Regulation, came into force as of August 1, 2024.
- The amendments require government ministries to have no net increase in regulatory burden, and this is achieved through government ministries reporting, planning, and tracking.
- These requirements help to ensure that government maintains, minimally, the 33 per cent reduction in regulatory requirements.
The Red Tape Reduction Implementation Acts make necessary legislation changes.