Here is what you can expect when the Alberta legislature sits for a new session on Tuesday. Government House Leader Joseph Schow said more than a dozen bills could be put forth by the United Conservative Party (UCP) government this fall. “Albertans also want their government to focus on healthcare, affordability, and education, all issues that will be reflected in our legislative agenda beginning next week,” Schow said. None of those will involve immigration, he added, despite early, unofficial results from Elections Alberta showing slim margins of support for immigration-related referendum questions. “We expect to have some results in mapping around economic migration as early as next spring as we work closely with our federal counterparts and provincial colleagues,” he added. The bills Regarding health care, Schow said legislation will include updates to the Compassionate Intervention Act in preparation to launch the program in 2027. Changes are also coming to schools via new standards for report cards and increased “provincial oversight” and “transparency,” Schow said. The province will also be increasing oversight of childcare facilities, including new parental notification requirements. Touching on affordability, Schow said legislation can be expected on auto insurance, data centres and utility bills, as well as consumer protection for vehicle purchases and ticket resales. The province will also be introducing new rules to ensure hiring decisions are “merit-based,” though Schow could not offer details. Other prospective bills will increase punishments for illegal dumping, unsafe driving and the use of fake intimate images. “A changing world comes with new risks, which is why we are protecting Albertans from non-consensual distribution or threat of distribution of digitally altered intimate content,” Schow said. “We are also updating language related to child sexual exploitation to ensure legislation reflects the risks of today.” Legislation touching on municipal infrastructure, including bike lanes, can also be expected. Response Political scientist Lori Williams, with Mount Royal University, said some of the affordability measures, like utilities, are in line with Albertans’ concerns. “Albertans are paying the highest electricity bills of anyone in the country,” she said. “They’re also looking at those costs around data centres, putting legislation in place to assure Albertans that their electricity costs won’t go up.” Other bills miss the mark, she said; for example, tabling legislation on report cards but not addressing overcrowded classrooms. And the same goes for health care, she added. “This week we’re hearing a fatality inquiry over a man who died in an emergency room. I don’t see anything here that’s addressing that,” Williams said. “Education, health care, and affordability – some things are being said, but I don’t know that this is really meeting Albertans where their concerns are.” Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and NDP house leader Christina Gray said their party will be tabling private members’ bills to take “real action” on affordability, health care and education. “Nothing in the UCP’s legislative agenda will address the everyday challenges that Albertans are facing. Nothing to reduce ER wait times, or tackle overcrowded and complex classrooms,” Nenshi said. “I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a lot of teachers and families over the summer, and making sure that there’s enough supports for children who have speech language challenges absolutely came up for me,” Gray said. “Overcrowded classrooms came up for me. Transparency on report cards? I have not heard that as a concern.” Gray said the Alberta NDP are also concerned over plans to redraw electoral boundaries ahead of the 2027 election. “We in the NDP have been concerned about that aspect since they rejected a clear majority report that was built through consensus and built through consultation with Albertans. And now we get to see what the UCP wants to do when it comes to politicians picking their voters,” she said. The UCP decided to author its own minority report after recommendations were made by a bipartisan commission earlier this year. Schow said he does not know when Albertans will see that report or when new electoral boundaries would be revealed. “I haven’t seen it myself, but I understand that the committee has received it, and we’ll wait and see,” Schow said. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
