Our government has been working tirelessly to build a stronger and more prosperous Alberta. We just wrapped up on a marathon session and I am so proud to say that 34 bills were passed, which will improve the lives of Albertans, diversify our economy and get Albertans back to work.
We passed legislation that will improve Alberta’s health care system. Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, will strengthen the role of Albertans in our health care system, help reduce surgical wait times and modernize the system so that it can be more effective.
We passed Bill 16, Victims of Crime (Strengthening Public Safety) Amendment Act, which will improve the approach to helping victims of crime and protecting our communities. This bill will expand the mandate of the Victims of Crime Fund to include public safety initiatives and it will establish an interim victims assistance program to provide help with out-of-pocket expenses resulting from violent crime.
Our government passed legislation that will bring in investment, not drive it away like the previous government had done. Bill 33, the Alberta Investment Attraction Act, will make our province more competitive in the long-term. The legislation passed will make our province the most attractive environment for new business investment across Canada and around the world.
Our top priority is to put our province on a path towards a more economic prosperous future for all Albertans. Alberta’s Recovery Plan is a bold, ambitious long-term strategy to build, diversify and create tens of thousands of jobs. This plan will create tens of thousands of jobs and make our economy more productive in the long term with the largest infrastructure build in Alberta’s history. $10 billion is being invested in projects including the building of roads, water projects, schools, hospitals, therapeutic communities for those experiencing addiction, creating more than 50,000 jobs.
Alberta’s Recovery Plan includes the release of a series of sector strategies to drive diversification, including agriculture and forestry, tourism, technology and innovation, and other industries. Our government announced the Innovation Employment Grant, an exciting new incentive to create high-paying jobs and making Alberta the most attractive place in Canada to invest in the critical technology and innovation sector. While diversifying the economy is crucial, Alberta’s Recovery Plan will also ensure a strong future for the bedrock sector of our economy: Alberta’s innovative energy industry. Moving forward with construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, thanks to Alberta’s $1.5 billion investment in the project, will create 7,400 jobs. Our government is committed to improving the livelihoods of Albertans.
As many of you know, our government announced that students across Alberta will be returning to classrooms in September. As a parent myself, I know how difficult it has been for many Albertan students and their families to adapt to a different style of learning since the suspension of in-person schooling in March due to COVID-19. And I know that students, parents, teachers and school boards did their best to adjust. Our goal is to get us back to normal learning because we know that students who attend schools learn best in the classroom with their teachers and peers. I want to assure you that this decision has been made with the safety of students, teachers, and other staff members being the highest priority. For in-person learning to proceed, health measures are being put in place for their safety. Each school will implement public health measures, including frequent cleaning of surfaces, grouping students in cohorts, and adjusting schedules to allow for greater physical distancing. These past months have certainly been challenging but better times lie ahead. We are all in this together.
Stay safe Airdrie!
MLA Angela Pitt
