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Farm freedom and safety engagement

Gathered input to help shape the future of workplace legislation on farms and ranches.

Status: Completed
Ministry responsible: Agriculture and Forestry
Completed: 2019

Overview

Alberta farms and ranches operate differently than other employers. Workplace rules must balance the unique economic pressures of farming, with the need for a flexible, common-sense workplace legislation for farms and ranches.

We gathered feedback from farmers, ranchers, workers and other stakeholders on how to improve workplace legislation for the agriculture sector.

We committed to an engagement process that will ensure all Albertans have a chance to provide feedback to shape future farm and ranch workplace legislation.

Engagement

We gathered feedback on the following topics to establish the right balance of workplace legislation:

  • Employment Standards: flexibility on rules like hours of work, holiday and vacation pay, days of rest, minimum wage and youth employment
  • Occupational Health and Safety: basic safety standards and any special requirements
  • Workers Compensation: choice of market insurance or WCB and identify basic coverage standards such as medical support, back to work support, and loss of income protection
  • Labour Relations: areas of improvement under the Labour Relations Code

Outcome

Bill 26: the Farm Freedom and Safety Act received royal assent on December 5, 2019 to change workplace legislation for the agriculture sector to restore balance, fairness and common sense regulations.

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