A new bill in Alberta requires provincial approval for federal money

Alberta's United Conservative Party government has introduced legislation in an attempt to take control of federal agreements to send money to municipalities and other provincial entities.

Premier Daniel Smith introduced Bill 18 of the Provincial Priorities Act into the legislature on Wednesday – an act that prevents the federal government from entering into funding agreements with municipalities without first consulting the province.

The change will also apply to school boards, health authorities, post-secondary institutions, corporations and housing associations. Such a law already exists in Quebec.

“Albertans are not interested in the virtue signaling coming from Ottawa and the roadblocks that come with it,” Smith said Wednesday. “We are interested in a fair share of federal funding.”

The government says the new bill will “ensure that federal funding is aligned with provincial priorities, not priorities that conflict with provincial interests.”

Smith says Albertans pay far more in federal taxes than they get back from federal programs and transfers, and claims the province's funding comes along “ideological lines.”

The UCP government cites what Ottawa called an “ideological push” to get electric buses in Canadian cities, with the province shut down in winter.

“The Government of Alberta believes that Ottawa's funding for unreliable and impractical electric buses would be better spent on Alberta's priorities, including strengthening the province's economic corridors with improved roads and commuter rail,” the new bill says.

Smith also raised the prospect of a safe supply of drugs prescribed as a safe alternative to the supply of toxic illegal drugs.

“We will not allow them to go down the path of maintaining a secure supply in this province,” he said. “We're looking at what's happening in British Columbia — the nurses, they're talking about what a disaster it is.”

In recent weeks, Ottawa has announced multimillion-dollar grant programs with Calgary, Edmonton and smaller municipalities. Housing Acceleration Fund.

The foundation provides municipalities with innovative ways to build affordable housing, such as zoning and zoning changes.

Calgary mayor blasts new bill

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek hit out at the new legislation Tuesday, saying she was not consulted on the matter and called out the province. stop arguing with the federal government.

Gondek echoed those sentiments in reaction to the introduction of the bill on Wednesday, saying it's a shame the federal and provincial governments are at loggerheads.

“Both should put aside ideological differences and work together,” he says. “We have a city that is growing at a rate that has never been seen before in this country.”

“We are the economic engine of this province and this country and they are fighting each other.”

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RAW: Mayor Jyoti Gondek responds to Provincial Priorities Act

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Gondek said he's worked hard to build a good relationship with the federal government, only to see that relationship threatened because a lack of funding from the province is one of the reasons the city's property taxes have gone up. .

“While we wait for the newly opened provincial bureau to work through the agreements, other cities in this country will be eating our lunch,” he says. “I, along with other mayors, fought too hard to get the federal government to properly fund us.”

Alberta's municipal affairs minister says if a city or town wants something the province doesn't want to approve, they can pay for it themselves.

“Municipalities have their own tax base, and if they have a higher priority than the federal government, they collect property taxes and other revenue sources that they have the right to spend as they see fit,” says Rick McIver.

The law is expected to come into effect by the end of the year.

With files by Tiffany Goodwin, Darcy Ropchan and the Canadian Press