Alberta’s Smith directs her minister to secure provincial control over immigration

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has directed her jobs minister to use all legal means possible to give the province more control over immigration.

Premier Danielle Smith is directing her jobs minister to use “all legal means possible” to give Alberta more control over immigration.

In a new mandate letter given to Joseph Schow, Smith says Alberta needs more control over immigration to ensure the province sees sustainable levels of newcomers.

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The letter tells Schow to use legal means and policy tools to gain control from Ottawa, while focusing “on economic migrants able to contribute to the growth of our economy.”

It also says Canadian citizens should have first access to jobs and young people should be prioritized over temporary foreign workers.

Schow, in an email, didn’t provide specifics on what he will do to accomplish the premier’s goal but said Alberta wants to use immigration as a tool to fill labour shortages.

Immigration has increasingly become a focal point for Smith and her United Conservative Party government, which in recent months has criticized multiple aspects of federal immigration policy, including temporary foreign workers and programs to accept parents and grandparents of newcomers.

The mandate letter also comes as Smith and her Alberta Next panel are travelling the province to hear from the public on different ways it can wrestle power from Ottawa, including over immigration.

The panel, set to host its ninth town hall Wednesday night in Grande Prairie, has been asking for feedback on topics including whether Alberta should create its own immigration system and cut off newcomers who aren’t approved from accessing services like health care.

Town hall attendees have largely been in favour, though the panel has heard some vocal opposition. Academics in attendance have accused the government of punching down on immigrants, blaming them for housing shortages, overcrowded classrooms and stress on the health-care system.

The panel has also heard calls for Alberta to go further, with some calls for mass deportations garnering significant applause.

Schow said Alberta sees it as unfair that Ottawa controls immigration levels while the province delivers critical social services that support residents.

“To this point, the federal government has failed to treat Alberta and other provinces as partners and has not given serious consideration to the feedback we provide, resulting in ongoing mismanagement over immigration,” he said.

Smith, speaking at a Calgary Chamber of Commerce event earlier Wednesday, repeated the province’s position that high immigration levels are to blame for housing, school and job woes.

“All of these things happen if you’re out of balance with the number of new arrivals into the province versus the capacity of the industry and government to keep up with services,” Smith said.

She added the Constitution “seems to imply that the provinces should be the one who takes the lead” on immigration, not the federal government.

“That’s what we’re trying to get a balance on and it’s why we’re consulting on it to see how things might need to change,” the premier said.

Opposition NDP immigration critic Lizette Tejada said Smith’s direction to the minister stokes division, especially since Ottawa has reduced its immigration targets for the years ahead. 

“Albertans deserve a government that stays in its own lane and is focused on establishing conditions that allow for all Albertans to feel welcome and to thrive,” Tejada said in a statement.

“The UCP government is extreme, heavy-handed and controlling. They need to focus on building and serving.”

Kelly Ernst, chief program officer for the Centre for Newcomers in Calgary, said he thinks Alberta’s push for greater control over immigration is driven by xenophobia.

“I’m certainly hoping that whatever gets enacted is not along that line, but I guess we’ll wait and see,” said Ernst.

He said he has unanswered questions about what the province plans to do, as denying some newcomers services based on their country of origin would go against human rights law and require the use of the Charter’s notwithstanding clause.

“That to me is very scary,” Ernst said, adding he’s also concerned some businesses and social service providers might not wait for clear government orders before denying newcomers service.

“When you have dog whistling like this, that suggests discrimination is just fine, (and) I think you’re gonna actually see employers be discriminatory.”

Smith also announced this week her government plans to introduce legislation to put citizenship markers on driver’s licences and other forms of provincial ID.

She had said the move is meant to streamline access to services and prevent election fraud, although Elections Alberta has said there have been three instances of ineligible voting dating back to 2023.

She added Wednesday there is an “overwhelming need” to ensure government services are accessed by citizens and that having the citizenship marker will help.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press