Ukrainian refugees coming to Alberta will have increased assistance in settling in the province.
The Government of Alberta will provide an additional $2.1 million in Budget 2023, if passed, for pre-arrival service supports. The government will also implement a Ukrainian Help Line to streamline information and resources.
“Our government is committed to helping the thousands of Ukrainians seeking refuge here,” said Premier Danielle Smith in a release.
“Thanks to the efforts of so many tireless volunteers in addition to work by our government, Ukrainian newcomers have access to numerous resources available to them to integrate into communities across Alberta smoothly and successfully.”
Watch the Press Conference.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Alberta has welcomed 26,572 Ukrainians. More than $28 million has been directed towards supports and services to help evacuees resettle.
The additional funding builds on that, and will be put towards measures recommended by the Premier’s Advisory Task Force on Ukraine.
“The task force has done crucial work in uncovering gaps in supports for Ukrainian evacuees. It also ensured we are providing support where it will have the biggest impact,” said Rajan Sawhney, minister of trade, immigration, and multiculturalism.
“As a government, we have a responsibility to get this right for these evacuees, and the advice from the task force is ensuring we do.”
Help line for Ukrainian refugees
The creation of a help line is one such recommendation from the advisory task force. According to the group, Ukrainian nationals were having trouble navigating complex programming and applications. The help line will ensure Ukrainian evacuees and organizations serving them can get timely, accurate information in the language they are most comfortable with.
Ongoing supports
Other previously announced Budget 2023 supports for Ukrainian evacuees also reflect task force input and include:
$7 million over three years for settlement and language supports to help agencies and immigrant-serving organizations meet increased service demand.
$9.9 million for social housing and rent supplement programs, through Alberta’s Rent Supplement Program, to address growing waitlists and support Ukrainian newcomers eligible for these programs. This is on top of the additional $6.8 million made available in late 2022-23.
$3.6 million to support emergency and ongoing financial benefits similar to those provided through the Income Support program. In addition, the Evacuee Emergency Financial Support and Benefits program, launched in March 2022 to provide emergency benefits for Ukrainian evacuees, will be extended to January 2024 to ensure both new and existing applicants can receive emergency or ongoing financial benefits.
$1.5 million, through the new Ukrainian Student Benefit, for post-secondary institutions to continue providing financial supports for Ukrainian newcomer students. Eligibility for Alberta apprenticeship education programs has also been expanded to allow Ukrainian temporary residents to participate.
Alberta’s government will continue to work with immigrant-serving and community organizations to identify supports needed, as well as ensure supports complement any federal government services. Alberta also continues to work with other provinces and territories to lobby the federal government to provide additional support for Ukrainian evacuees and announce plans to address the future of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program in 2023 and beyond.
Alberta’s government will continue to prioritize the assessment of permanent residency applications by Ukrainian nationals through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. Candidates must still meet all program criteria.
Budget 2023 secures Alberta’s future by transforming the health-care system to meet people’s needs, supporting Albertans with the high cost of living, keeping our communities safe and driving the economy with more jobs, quality education and continued diversification.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Oil and gas companies with unpaid property taxes will be forced to pay up.
The Government of Alberta is directing the Alberta Energy Regulator to withhold approval or transfer of industry licences unless proof of tax payment is provided.
This comes after the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) said members were owed $268 million in municipal taxes by the oil and gas industry. A cumulative $220 million in unpaid taxes was reported by municipalities – with $130 million in tax arrears, and the rest in cancellations.
“Our government is serious about addressing the ongoing problem of unpaid municipal taxes. This problem has lingered for far too long, and while some viable companies have started to pay their back taxes, others are still not getting the message,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs Rebecca Schulz.
“This direction to the Alberta Energy Regulator will have real consequences for those delinquent companies. In Alberta, we pay what we owe and it’s time to pay up.”
The departments of Energy and Municipal Affairs have worked together on this directive. Companies will now have to confirm their unpaid municipal taxes do not exceed the maximum threshold allowed. Alternatively, they can confirm they have a repayment agreement in place whenever they apply for new licences or for licence transfers because they’re seeking to sell their assets.
This measure will help reduce unpaid taxes and reassure municipalities and Albertans that companies are financially healthy and able to meet their tax obligations.
RMA President Paul McLauchlin said the RMA is pleased to see the province take action.
“Although only a small number of companies avoid their property tax payment obligations, this issue has had major fiscal impacts on rural municipalities across Alberta. As 41 per cent of unpaid taxes are owed by companies that are currently operating, we are optimistic that this change will have an immediate positive impact in rural Alberta,” he said.
“We look forward to working with the AER and relevant ministries to determine how our members can support the AER in enforcing this new requirement.”
Under Alberta’s liability management framework, the AER revised their licence eligibility requirements to include a more holistic assessment of a company’s financial health that is applied through the life cycle of an asset. The new directive strengthens the AER’s approach by making payment of municipal taxes a necessary and mandatory condition for approval, based on available data.
The maximum threshold will be determined after reviewing the AER’s analysis of current licensee information related to unpaid municipal taxes, and in consultation with Municipal Affairs and Energy.
Municipal Affairs and the AER will work together to create an annual list of companies whose unpaid municipal taxes exceed the threshold amount. Companies on this list will be targeted by the AER to provide proof of tax payment. This approach provides the most effective opportunity to collect taxes owed without increasing unnecessary red tape for the many companies already paying their taxes as required.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office. They can do so via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
The updated Alberta French and science curriculum is ready for K-6 classrooms this fall.
All K-3 students will learn from new French First Language and Literature, French Immersion Language Arts and Literature and Science curriculums this September. School authorities may choose to implement the new curriculum for the same subjects in grades 4-6.
“Curriculum renewal is essential to help prepare our students for a rapidly changing labour market, which is placing an ever-increasing premium on adaptability and transferable skills,” said Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange in a press release.
“To ensure successful implementation, we are making significant investments to provide teachers with the resources they need to support students in transitioning to the new curriculum.”
Watch the press conference.
Changes have been made to these subjects based on feedback of the original draft. This includes addressing areas of concern with content load, age appropriateness and wording clarity.
Specific changes include:
Strengthening French First Language and Literature content by adding spelling rules and specifying which types of texts are studied in each grade.
Enhancing French Immersion Language Arts and Literature content to align with the principles of learning an additional language and developing students’ creative writing skills.
Strengthening Science content to promote understanding of agricultural practices in Alberta and align with previously implemented subjects. In the new K-6 Science curriculum, students in Grade 3 will examine how layers of Earth’s surface, including the discovery and location of dinosaur fossils, hold information about the past. In Grade 6, students will examine abstractions, coding structures and the impact of computers and technology.
In the 2022-23 school year, 47 school boards across the province piloted the draft curriculum, including 941 teachers and 22,000 students.
The updated curriculums align with top-performing jurisdictions in Canada and globally and with new curriculum previously implemented across the province.
“For this school year, we had 60 teachers from K-6 participate in the French Immersion Language Arts and Literature (FILAL) pilot. Teachers are impressed with how condensed and clearly laid out the curriculum is as well as the consideration that has been given to age-appropriate sequencing of learning outcomes,” said Cathie Williams, board chair of the Calgary Catholic School Board.
“Teachers are looking forward to implementing this curriculum next school year and to receiving a list of curated Alberta Education resources to support with implementation.”
Successful French and Science curriculum implementation
To aid with the implementation, Alberta’s government is investing approximately $47 million in professional learning for teachers, as well as learning and teaching resources to make sure both teachers and students are equipped for the updated curriculum in the classroom.
This includes $45 on a per-student basis to purchase additional resources to support implementation , $800 on a per-teacher basis for professional learning, and further funding retained by Alberta Education to purchase, licence and develop high quality learning and teaching resources aligned with the new curriculum.
“Professional development and timely access to resources are essential to ensure educators and the system are fully prepared to implement new curriculum. The Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) looks forward to continuing to engage with our member boards, and to collaborate with the government and education partners on required supports to ensure the success of all students,” said Marilyn Dennis, president of ASBA.
Alberta Education is working with the province’s four largest school authorities to develop science resources and ensure they are accessible to all school authorities to support student learning.
To help teachers across the province prepare for the upcoming school year, Alberta’s government is providing a variety of supports and resources online, including:
the final K-6 French First Language and Literature, French Immersion Language Arts and Literature and Science curriculums
the Provincial Resource Review Guide, with guidelines for selecting learning and teaching resources aligned with the new curriculums
bridging resources to assist with transitioning from the current curriculums to the new curriculums
videos and support documents with an overview and orientation to the new curriculums
tools that support teacher planning, collaborating and sharing
information about flexible professional learning opportunities
Alberta Education will provide school authorities with additional details to facilitate planning and implementation for September. School authorities will also continue to have flexibility to select resources to support curriculum implementation in their classrooms.
School authorities will also implement grades 4-6 English Language Arts and Literature and Mathematics curriculums this fall.
Between March 2021 and February 2023, Alberta’s government provided multiple opportunities to share feedback on the curriculum:
More than 34,000 online surveys were completed.
More than 1,100 attendees participated in virtual information sessions hosted by Alberta Education.
Nearly 600 Albertans shared diverse viewpoints on each subject area at 31 virtual engagement sessions.
Twelve partner organizations were provided $800,000 in grants to help them engage with their communities and report their unique perspectives.
In the 2021-22 school year, about 360 teachers piloted draft K-6 Mathematics, English Language Arts and Literature, Science, Physical Education and Wellness, Social Studies and Fine Arts curriculums with about 7,800 students.
In the 2022-23 school year, 941 teachers are piloting draft K-6 French First Language and Literature, French Immersion Language Arts and Literature and Science curriculums with 22,000 students in 47 school authorities across the province.
The 12-member Curriculum Implementation Advisory Group had representation from across the education system to help ensure the best interests of the entire education system inform the group’s advice and recommendations.
The updated curriculum can be read on the LearnAlberta site here.
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Anyone looking to send comments directly to the Minister of Education is asked to contact the Office of the Minister of Education at education.minister@gov.ab.ca or (780)427-5010.
Alberta is making efforts to fight racism and build inclusive communities through Budget 2023.
The province is investing $9.5 million into grant programs to combat racism and promote multiculturalism.
This includes $8 million over three years for the ethnocultural grant program that will promote cross-cultural understanding and multiculturalism. In addition, Alberta’s government will provide $1.5 million over three years to support the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Grant Program (MARG).
“It is vital that we continue to support efforts that address racism and help with cross-cultural understanding. Budget 2023 will provide funding to support multicultural and anti-racism initiatives. Alberta’s government will continue to find new ways to make safer communities for everyone,” said Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism in a release.
Watch the press conference.
Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Grants are awarded to non-profit organizations for anti-racism initiatives and projects that foster inclusion and respect. Grants can go towards supporting cultural events, festivals, workshops and training.
Indigenous, Inuit and Métis, multicultural and faith-based groups are eligible to receive up to $30,000. Any non-profit, including those in Red Deer-North, looking to teach more about their culture is encouraged to apply.
The new ethnocultural grants will provide funding to a variety of multicultural groups. These grants will support intercultural and interfaith connections, helping ethnocultural groups end racism and providing Albertans with opportunities to participate and celebrate Indigenous culture.
MARG and the new ethnocultural grant program complement existing government initiatives, including Alberta’s Anti-Racism Action Plan.
Bhupinder Singh Chattha, secretary of the Sikh Society of Calgary says they are extremely grateful for the approval of their grant application, which will help them showcase their own culture in the summer.
“This grant will enable us to plan an event during the summers at Sikh Society Calgary that will showcase the Sikh culture, its traditions, books, arts and military museum exhibits to reflect on Sikhism,” he said. “
This event is needed so that all Albertans have a better understanding of people from other cultures and their struggles to resist anti-racism. The event will be free for all and lots of free food stalls will be there for everyone to enjoy the day at Sikh Society Calgary grounds.”
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office. They can do so via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
Alberta immigrants will have help settling into their communities.
The provincial government has committed $23.8 million that will go towards ensuring newcomers can access settlement, language, training and other supports to reach their full potential.
“Alberta will be welcoming more immigrants over the next three years. These newcomers will help continue Alberta’s economic momentum, yet the province will need to help these newcomers succeed,” said Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism Rajan Sawhney in a statement.
“Budget 2023 will provide funding for settlement services and language supports that will help newcomers settle and thrive in Alberta.”
Watch the Press Conference.
The funding includes $18.9 million to support the Alberta Settlement and Integration Program for projects that address gaps in service delivery and complement existing programming. An additional $4.9 million over three years will come from the federal government through the Canada-Alberta Workforce Development Agreement.
Through the program, eligible organizations can apply for grant funding for services that give newcomers information about living and working in Alberta, as well as access to services and opportunities that support their integration into their communities.
Organizations can apply for grants through two categories:
Supports for Newcomer Integration grants, which fund settlement and language services to help newcomers integrate while they live and work in Alberta.
Settlement Integration and Language Projects, which respond to emerging settlement and integration needs such as system improvement, capacity building, labour market opportunities and other priorities identified by the government.
Each year, the Alberta Settlement and Integration Program provides services for up to 14,000 eligible newcomers.
“As an immigrant-serving agency, TIES understands the tremendous need in the community for additional supports to serve our clients. We are thrilled to hear that there is additional funding committed to this sector in Budget 2023,” said President and CEO of The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) Sally Zhao.
“With this support, we can continue to provide critical services that help newcomers settle, work and prosper in Alberta. We know that moving to a new country can be a daunting experience, and that’s why our organization is dedicated to providing the supports that newcomers need to thrive. This funding will enable us to expand our services, reach more people, and positively impact the lives of thousands of newcomers over the next three years.”
Red Deer-North constituents with questions, concerns or comments can reach out to the local constituency office. They can do so via the form on the contact page or by phoning (403) 342–2263.
