Amid another wildfire season, the provincial government is proposing amendments to legislation that officials say will help them support municipalities. Premiere Danielle Smith says, historically the province sees flood, drought and wildfire emergencies most likely in May and June. In recent history, these events include the Slave Lake fire in 2011, the floods in Calgary and area in 2013, the Fort McMurray fire in 2016, and the record wildfire season last year.
“When we have these catastrophes in the past, [after] when we have the post mortem we hear ‘why didn’t the province react,’ ‘why wasn’t the province more proactive,’ so this is us hearing them and reacting to that,” Smith says.
Included in the proposed changes is what the UCP government calls clarity on how the government can respond during emergency events and how they will work with municipal governments. Smith says the proposed changes will be able to initiate an “all-hands-on-deck approach,” with the province taking the necessary authority to manage the situation.
“Emergencies will happen in the future, but we can be better prepared for them when they come and that’s what we’re proposing to do,” Smith says. “Anytime a fire is encroaching on another jurisdiction is when the province needs to step in and help. – Emergencies and public safety is a provincial responsibility full stop.”
The proposed changes would also require local authorities to report information to the province during a state of local emergency which includes the nature of an emergency. According to the province, local officials will be “responsible for the day-to-day emergency planning and management within their jurisdictions, unless the situation needs a provincial response.”
Smith says the changes would make it so that anytime a fire is encroaching on another jurisdiction or covers multiple jurisdictions this is when the province can step in and help coordinate resources and efforts. Also giving the government authority to construct fireguards and remove buildings or structures for wildfire suppression.
Another proposed change is moving the province’s election date from May to October. Smith says the change would keep the election from happening during a wildfire, drought or flood emergency. Smith explains this will help mitigate some of the struggles that the province saw last year. Smith says facing another disaster is a certainty and during that time the Albertans need their government to be fully focused and not have to worry about or navigate an election.
“None of us had access to government devices or computers. The caretaker period made it harder to support Albertans during these wildfires.”
If passed the next provincial election would be moved from May 31st, 2027 to October 18th, 2027.
