Released: November 21, 2001 If you would prefer to download this file in
pdf format, click here. Index Four times a year the Government of Alberta produces fiscal updates on how much it is earning, spending and investing on behalf of Albertans. It’s an additional way the provincial government fulfills its promise to be accountable to Albertans. But there’s more to accountability than numbers, economic indicators and financial tables. These Quarterly Activity Reports are designed to give Albertans details on where the money goes. Each is a list of some of the most important and interesting achievements and initiatives recognized, initiated or accomplished by the government during each quarter of the 2001-02 fiscal year. The Second Quarter Activity Report covers July, August and September of 2001. The public employees of the Alberta Government are responsible for getting many of these initiatives off the ground and maintaining them with a standard of excellence second to none. The number of accomplishments may be significant, but it’s the quality and variety that this government is most proud of.
The Alberta Government is committed to listening to Albertans and has a proven track record of acting on what they’ve heard. Through public consultation, surveys, letters, phone calls, E-mails and many other ways, the government heard from the people of Alberta. It is through this input that many changes are initiated and new policies are formed. In the Second Quarter, the government heard from Albertans as it:
invited public input into the draft policing standards manual. The draft standards were posted on the Solicitor General web site and distributed directly to stakeholder groups. The standards set measurable performance objectives for Alberta police services. coordinated consultations with numerous Albertans regarding information for the upcoming elections in municipalities and regional health authorities. sponsored workshops for elected officials, through municipalities and the University of Alberta, to help develop a more responsive local government sector. provided advice and information on Alberta Registries and consumer issues to more than 54,000 Albertans through the Government Services toll-free call centre. initiated a public consultation on whether a regulation is needed to govern the operation of travel clubs and if so, what it should include. sent prosecutors to participate in a First Nations Cultural Camp to increase their awareness of aboriginal traditions, spirituality and communities, and to promote culturally sensitive prosecutions. The camp is in direct response to a recommendation from the Justice Summit, "Increase sensitivity and cultural awareness." developed a new policy for parking placards for persons with disabilities. Groups representing those with disabilities initiated a review of the current policy and continue to provide valuable input towards the new policy’s implementation. released Environics survey results that show 82 per cent of Albertans feel the Future Summit will be valuable in soliciting input to Alberta’s future. released the final Treasury Annual Report on September 28, 2001. completed analysis phase of the Gaming Licensing Policy Review. Information collected through formal stakeholder consultations, market research, and literature reviews helped develop recommendations for policies to address proposals related to the growth or expansion of gaming activities in Alberta. initiated stakeholder consultations respecting proposed amendments to the Gaming and Liquor Act and the Gaming and Liquor Regulation. held Charting a New Course for Workers Compensation Symposium. Ninety-six stakeholders representing employers, labour, injured workers and interested third parties discussed the changes to the system. conducted a client satisfaction survey at 24 Alberta Human Resources and Employment Labour Market Information Centres that revealed 96 percent of the walk-in clients surveyed were satisfied with the services and information available. distributed 72,500 discussion guides and questionnaires titled "Extending the Alberta Advantage" as part of an MLA-led review of low income programs. completed review process for the province’s occupational health and safety regulations. produced an information compact disk on the Alberta Seniors Benefit program for distribution to individuals and organizations that provide services to seniors. consulted with the Grand Chiefs of Treaty 6, 7 and 8, and Alberta Assembly of First Nations Vice-Chiefs to address the Aboriginal Policy Framework and related activities. implemented changes to natural gas royalty invoices at the request of the energy industry to reflect changes to NOVA pipeline tolls. created a new call centre to respond to inquiries about electric and natural gas rates or terms and conditions of services for regulated utilities. established a steering committee of stakeholders who will develop strategies, identify and recommend potential projects and address barriers to the use of carbon dioxide emissions in enhanced hydrocarbon recovery. initiated a process to amend regulations to make hunting more accessible to persons with disabilities. conducted Northern Leaders’ Roundtable meetings in High Level, Fort Vermilion and Swan Hills; and participated in the Prospects North Conference held in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. held a two-day hearing, attended by about 50 people, on the Notice of Intention to designate the Low Pressure Plant, the Administration Building and Pumphouse #1 at Epcor’s Rossdale plant site in Edmonton as a Provincial Historic Resources.
Strengthening the Alberta economy Albertans benefit from having a strong, healthy economy. This year the government estimates Alberta’s economy will lead the nation in growth, and will create over 40,000 new jobs. This quarter construction crews were in action across the province building new infrastructure like roads, bridges and schools. Alberta’s Supernet – a high speed network connecting Alberta Schools, libraries and hospitals – moved closer to becoming a reality. The province also approved the drilling of more than 400 new oil and gas wells. Our government undertook many actions to strengthen the Alberta economy. In the Second Quarter it:
Health care is important to all Albertans. That’s why the Alberta Government continues to search for innovative ways to improve the health system and address the needs and priorities of Albertans. In the Second Quarter, the government continued to focus on the health of Albertans as it:
completed a 20-month study on air quality in the County of Grande Prairie. The study was conducted in response to public concern over the effect of oil and gas activity in the area. The released report showed that the county’s air is well within the department’s guidelines for air quality. provided emergency response support for the BP Canada Fort Saskatchewan ethane cavern storage fires and the Barrington blowout west of Zama. assisted with a national investigation into endocrine disruptors within the natural environment on the Wapiti River. appointed 63 members to the province’s regional health authorities, with 126 positions to be filled by election. added chickenpox vaccinations to Alberta’s immunization program for one-year-old children, as of July 1. awarded five seniors’ lodge upgrading contracts for a total of $7.4 million. Of the 121 lodges eligible for upgrading in the province, 95 are now complete, 12 are under construction, and three are in the design phase. opened two new buildings at the Strathcona Care Centre in Sherwood Park – the Strathcona Alzheimer Care Centre and Strathcona Laurier House. supported the participation of more than 400 Alberta athletes and coaches at the 2001 Canada Games in London, Ontario. Team Alberta athletes earned 23 gold medals, breaking a previous record of 16 gold medals in 1989 and, placing Team Alberta fourth overall. sponsored the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) international conference held in Edmonton in August. Hundreds of delegates from around the world shared their experience, expertise and challenges on programs to help victims of crime and disaster. established a new scholarship for Alberta’s young athletes in commemoration of the 8th IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
Supporting education and lifelong learning It’s essential to get a good formal education, but people don’t stop learning when they graduate from high school or university. So, the Alberta Government supports learning wherever it happens. Alberta’s focus on learning is paying big dividends for Albertans. Alberta is a hub for high-tech research in medicine and engineering, and our institutions boast some of the most talented researchers in the world. Overall, Alberta workers are among the best educated in the country. An important part of a solid education system is having world-class facilities. In the Second Quarter the Alberta government began significant infrastructure projects across the province. The provincial government supported initiatives that ensure Albertans will continue to be leaders in the new century as it:
Supporting families and children Many people have come to Alberta to make a better life for their children and themselves. Alberta has grown by the size of a small city every year since 1995. Creating an environment where families flourish and grow involves every government ministry, each and every day. This quarter the Alberta Government continued to support families through a diverse range of initiatives. Increases to the Alberta Seniors Benefit provide more support for Alberta seniors. A streamlined court process regarding guardianship of children reduces stress for children and parents. The ‘Wednesday’s Child’ series on television helped find loving homes for orphans, and a ‘Free Fishing Weekend’ program encouraged families to get out and enjoy Alberta’s beautiful outdoors together. The Alberta government funds and encourages many other programs and initiatives that support children and families. This quarter the government:
completed an evaluation of the Alberta Child Health Benefit (ACHB). Information sources included ACHB staff and registrants, health service providers, organizations serving low-income families and administrative data. Among program registrants, 97 per cent indicated that the ACHB had a positive impact on their children’s health and 92 per cent indicated that the ACHB provides the supplemental health services most needed by their children. provided a minimum 4 per cent increase to eligible seniors through the Alberta Seniors Benefit program. This program provides approximately $12.4 million each month in cash benefits to over 125,000 lower-income seniors in Alberta. approved approximately 2,300 applications from seniors under the Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program for a total expenditure of approximately $5.3 million. announced $20 million for the 2001-02 Healthy Aging Partnership Initiative funds to assist in the development of new seniors’ supportive housing projects, or to modify existing projects to accommodate aging in place for low and moderate-income seniors. responded to over 40,000 calls through the Alberta Seniors Information Line (1-800-642-3853). premiered the Wednesday’s Child series on CTV. Every Wednesday a special needs child or siblings in need of adoption are profiled on CFRN-TV in Edmonton and CFCN-TV in Calgary. The series, which debuted in 1981, has become a key tool in helping to find adoptive homes for children. assisted the Edmonton Inner City Children’s Project Society in funding of school supplies and recreational programs for five inner city schools. promoted National Fishing Week (July 1-8) and the Free Fishing Weekend encouraging Alberta families to take part in this healthy and educational activity. implemented the Alberta’s Future Leader’s Program in 14 Aboriginal communities in Alberta, with the support of 31 summer youth workers. Recreation, sport and arts activities are used as prevention and intervention tools for the development of skills among the children and youth. coordinated a memorial service bringing together hundreds of police and peace officers, special guests, members of the public and the families of Alberta officers who died in the line of duty. This year’s service included a special tribute to the officers who died valiantly trying to save the lives of others in the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.
Building stronger and safer communities Alberta’s communities are diverse, vibrant, strong and safe. Albertans want to keep them that way. This quarter, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics released figures showing Alberta’s violent and property crime rates declined three per cent in 2000 — the third consecutive annual decline. Alberta’s overall crime rate remains the lowest in Western Canada. The Alberta Government’s commitment to crime prevention is ongoing. The province has provided over $1.3 million to almost 200 crime prevention projects over the past two years. These figures acknowledge the government’s efforts to build stronger and safer. During Second Quarter, the government:
Protecting Alberta's natural and cultural heritage Alberta is recognized around the world for its awe-inspiring natural beauty and unique cultural heritage. Albertans take pride in their history and want it preserved forever. In recognition of this worthy goal, the Alberta government preserved unique natural regions, helped clean up highways, and worked with Provincial Archives to preserve priceless historic photography. To ensure that natural places and special memories are preserved for generations to come, the Alberta government performed the following activities during Second Quarter of this year. It:
closed campgrounds and recreational areas in Kananaskis Country during the fire ban which commenced on the Labor Day weekend. developed a new instructional video for the annual Highway Clean-Up program. The program, in its 25th year, involved over 10,000 participants from 369 clubs across the province. The volunteers collected over 35,000 bags of garbage - enough to fill almost three Olympic-sized swimming pools. partnered to assist the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council Kapawe’no First Nation in hosting the Seventh Generation Elder’s Gathering for Treaty 6, 7 and 8. celebrated the 11th annual Parks Day in approximately 25 different provincial parks across the province, with more than 4,770 people in attendance. Visitors had the opportunity to learn more about our natural environment and to participate in a range of activities celebrating Alberta’s provincial parks network. completed the preservation work by the Provincial Archives of Alberta of the Pollard Nitrate Negative Collection, which consists of over 10,000 photographic negatives. Harry Pollard, a well-known Calgary photographer, started his studio in the 1890s and his early portrait work of Alberta’s aboriginal peoples earned him recognition as one of the top portrait photographers in Alberta.
Improving efficiency and innovation Albertans have worked hard to establish our province as a leader in technology and innovation. In the Second Quarter, Albertans realized some of the benefits of that hard work. Albertans continued to be leaders in the areas of agriculture, health and technology. A perfect example is the announcement of the creation of the Banff International Research Station for Mathematics (BIRS). The U.S. National Science Foundation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Government of Alberta will fund the cost-shared project. BIRS, scheduled to start operations in 2003, will be the basis for new discoveries and technologies in many sectors. In the Second Quarter of the 2001-02 fiscal year the government:
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