ACC weekly update
December 8, 2022
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Policy win: Strengthening Alberta’s justice system
Amendments would allow more claims to be dealt with through the provincial court, which uses simplified and cost-effective processes and is located in 72 communities throughout the province. The last time the civil claims limit for the provincial court was increased was in 2014.
The proposed improvements will also allow future increases to the civil claims limit in the provincial court. Currently, the limit is $50,000. Amendments will permit government to adjust the limit by regulation up to a maximum of $200,000.
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Policy win: Supporting affordable housing projects
In 2021, Alberta’s government introduced a 10-year strategy to expand affordable housing called Stronger Foundations. This strategy puts Alberta on track to increase affordable housing units by 25,000. Launching the Affordable Housing Partnership Program is a key step to ensuring housing is accessible for Albertans across the province.
The new Affordable Housing Partnership Program is open for applications to help public, non-profit and private sectors work together to build and deliver affordable housing for seniors, families, individuals with low incomes, developmental disabilities, physical challenges, victims of violence, and others.
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Hiring Intentions survey open
The Alberta Chambers of Commerce has launched its 4th Hiring Intentions survey. This survey takes around 4 minutes to complete and closes Tuesday, December 20 at 5:00 pm.
The 2021 Hiring Intentions survey was cited as a source of information in the Budget 2022 document from the Government of Alberta, and the report from the 2022 Municipal Red Tape Survey Report will be made available to the network next week.
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Chambers Plan survey for Chambers
Chambers Plan has developed a survey for Chambers to gather information on their experience with advisors and the Chambers Plan program. Local Chambers within Alberta are encouraged to share their experience with delivering and using Chambers Plan.
Results will be kept anonymous. Chambers Plan advisors will not be informed of individual answers. The data will only be used in aggregate to make improvements to the overall affinity program.
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Canada Summer Jobs Grant Applications Open!
Are you ready to:
- create quality work experiences for youth?
- provide youth with opportunities to develop and improve their skills?
- respond to national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market for youth who face unique barriers?
If yes, then apply for the Canada Summer Jobs funding!
The deadline to apply is January 12, 2023. For support with your application or hiring talent, contact Sacha Knorr ([email protected]).
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Making life more affordable for Albertans
Alberta’s economy has recovered strongly, but many Albertans are struggling to heat their homes and feed their families, and the government wants to help. The legislative changes included in the Inflation Relief Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 would enable the government to deliver timely, effective cost-of-living support and inflation relief to Albertans.
If passed, the legislation and supporting regulations will enable the expansion of utility rebates, electricity price protection over the winter, personal income tax indexation retroactive to the 2022 tax year, full suspension of the provincial fuel tax, and delivery of upcoming targeted relief payments to families, seniors and vulnerable Albertans. These measures make up the Alberta government’s Affordability Action Plan.
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Province secures large supply of children’s pain relief medication
For two months, parents and caregivers across Canada have faced a shortage of children’s pain and fever medication. This shortage is placing additional stress on families and on the health system, as more Albertans are visiting pharmacies, physicians and hospitals. To ensure children’s pain and fever medication is readily available across the province and bring relief to children and families, Alberta’s government and Alberta Health Services have secured a supply of five million units of acetaminophen and ibuprofen from Atabay Pharmacueticals and Fine Chemicals.
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More opportunities to develop job-ready skills
Alberta’s government is funding additional micro-credential programs to help Albertans develop the skills they need to build new careers and secure the province’s future.
Earlier this fall, Alberta’s government invested $8 million over two years to create 69 new micro-credentials programs through the Alberta at Work initiative. Additional funding of more than $270,000 will help create five new programs that support key sectors, including energy, technology, software development and finance.
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Train Length Restrictions
Severe cold and snow present challenging conditions to safe railway operations, primarily to braking system. Rail supply chain organizations reduce train lengths in accordance with winter operations planning. Based on the forecasts, business owners can expect that Tier restrictions will remain in effect intermittently across the network for the next several days.
As a result, CN Rail will be reducing train lengths across all business units that will traverse the highlighted areas to ensure fluidity across the network and within multimodal operations. Local switch operations may also be impacted due to congestion.
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Protecting more nature in partnership with Indigenous Peoples
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced up to $800 million over seven years, starting in 2023-24, to support up to four Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. Once completed, these projects could protect an additional up to one million square kilometres. This investment is a major step forward in protecting nature across the country and will drive progress toward Canada’s ambitious goals of conserving 25 per cent of land and waters by 2025, and 30 per cent of each by 2030.
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Government consulting on clean hydrogen and labour conditions for clean investment tax credits
As committed to in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, the Department of Finance is today launching consultations on:
- An investment tax credit for clean hydrogen based on the lifecycle carbon intensity of hydrogen, including:
- An appropriate carbon intensity-based system for the Canadian context; and,
- The level of support needed for different production pathways in Canada.
- Labour conditions attached to the investment tax credits for clean hydrogen and clean technologies, including requirements to:
- Pay prevailing wages based on local labour market conditions; and,
- Create apprenticeship training opportunities.
Stakeholders are invited to share their feedback until January 6, 2023.
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The Alberta Chambers of Commerce is a federation of 116 community-based chambers of commerce representing more than 22,500 job creators. |
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Subscribe to the Alberta Chambers of Commerce Newsletter
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Sacha Knorr
Alberta Chambers of Commerce
#714 Ledgeview, 9707 110 St NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2L9
Phone: 780-425-4180 ext. 7
Toll Free: 1-800-272-8854
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