Digital Regulatory Assurance System

DRAS will roll out in stages throughout 2021 to 2024 and will eventually house all applications online.

Future rollouts will include:

• Public Lands Act dispositions for commercial and industrial activities
• drinking water management and the remaining host of activities Alberta Environment and Protected Areas regulates

For applicants, DRAS provides:

• the ability to apply for one project with multiple activities via an integrated application
• clear, upfront application standards and requirements
• a clear decision-making process
• the ability to track the status of applications in real-time
• increased provincewide consistency in application processes

Training

Instructional videos for DRAS are available on YouTube:

• Submitting water well drilling and vertical closed-loop drilling applications – Part 1
• Submitting water well drilling and vertical closed-loop drilling applications – Part 2
• Submitting water well drilling and vertical closed-loop drilling applications – Part 3

How to access DRAS

Step 1: Create an account

To access DRAS, all users require a valid Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations.

• Individuals submitting an application or statement of concern require an Alberta.ca Account.
• If you are submitting an application or statement of concern on behalf of a business, organization, municipality, or government an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations is required.
  • Get more information on how to create and manage an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations

For help, email [email protected] or call 1-844-643-2789.

Step 2: Log in to DRAS

Once your Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations has been obtained, you must log in to DRAS with your Alberta.ca Account or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations credentials to have a DRAS profile. This is required before an application or notice can be submitted or before a representative can be assigned to submit on your behalf.

Supported browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox

Mobile browsers are currently not supported.

Go to DRAS

DRAS delegation updates

Applicants can add representative(s) to their DRAS profiles to give permission to read, write and/or submit applications and further delegated permissions on their behalf. Find out more about this process:

• Accessing DRAS, assigning representatives, and delegating access

Process improvements

Environment and Protected Areas strives to continuously improve the regulatory system and collects feedback from Albertans to improve DRAS.

The following updates improve how Albertans access, manage, organize and view their regulatory information across the lifecycle of an activity.

Key improvements include:

• Applicant dashboard – The redesigned dashboard is easier to navigate, and provides applicants with real-time access to information and tools to manage the lifecycle of a regulated activity.
• Profile management – Enhanced features improve the management of client and corporate delegation, allowing users more control of their profile and delegated profiles.
  • How to view and remove your delegated permissions in DRAS
  • How to add a delegate to a project (applicant/holder/delegate) in DRAS
• Statement of concern – The streamlined statement of concern process has a new tab in the application view.
  • How to submit a statement of concern in DRAS
  • How to respond to a statement of concern in DRAS

These enhancements increase transparency and provide Albertans with information and tools to successfully navigate the regulatory system.

Indigenous consultation process

To align with Alberta’s proponent-led Indigenous consultation method, applicants for Water Act approvals and Water Act licences, will now use the Aboriginal Consultation Office Digital Service to seek consultation requirements.

Information for Water Act approval and licence applicants on the proponent-led Indigenous consultation method can be found on DRAS:

• What is Indigenous Consultation in Alberta?
• What is an Indigenous Consultation Adequacy Assessment?

Move My Licence: Water Act

Move My Licence is a call for water licence holders in Alberta to ‘move’ water licences issued prior to November 2021 into DRAS. DRAS helps water licence holders manage their water licence(s), report water use and access associated water use information more efficiently.

All water license holders are required to move their water licences into DRAS by the end of 2024. Follow the quick steps below for greater transparency, completeness, accuracy, and timeliness when managing your water licences and water use. For more detailed information, refer to knowledge articles for What is Move My Licence and How to Move My Licence: Water Act.

Three simple steps to move your water licence in DRAS:

1. Log in to DRAS using your Alberta.ca or Alberta.ca Account for Organizations (see ‘How to Access DRAS’, above).
2.  Select the ‘Move my pre-DRAS water licence records’ application form and enter your valid Water Act licence number and licence name. 
3. Finish by verifying the auto-populated information and click Submit. 

Report an incident

Report an Incident is available to DRAS for self-reporting and public concerns. It features online report forms for several types of environmental incidents that may be in contravention of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act or the Public Lands Act. 

Emergency environmental and dangerous goods incidents are still reported by calling Alberta EDGE at 1-800-222-6514. For more information, see Alberta EDGE (Environmental and Dangerous Goods Emergencies).