Alberta Record

· Order in Council / Ministerial Responsibility Re-allocation · in-force

OIC 218/2024: Amending Ministerial Responsibilities and Designations

Order in Council 218/2024 amends the Designation and Transfer of Responsibility Regulation, reallocating ministerial responsibilities for several Acts and designating common responsibilities for specific legislative sections to multiple min

High impactCentralization of powerHealth system governanceThe public, directlyHealth-care bodies

What changed

  • Designates the Minister of Children and Family Services and the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services with common responsibility for specific sections of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.
  • Designates the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade and the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services with common responsibility for specific sections of the Early Learning and Child Care Act.
  • Reallocates full responsibility for the Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month Act, Holocaust Memorial Day and Genocide Remembrance Act, Polish-Canadian Heritage Day Act, Ukrainian-Canadian Heritage Day Act, and Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day Act to the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism.
  • Adds the Provincial Priorities Act, Provincial Health Agencies Act, Real Property Governance Act, Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence Act, and Alberta Pension Protection Act to the list of enactments for which ministers can be designated.
  • Repeals existing ministerial designations for various enactments.

Why it matters

  • The introduction of common ministerial responsibility for specific legislative sections creates shared oversight and accountability, potentially requiring increased inter-ministerial coordination.
  • This shift may lead to a more integrated approach to policy development and service delivery in areas such as child and family services and early learning.
  • The reallocation of responsibility for heritage and remembrance Acts centralizes their oversight under a single minister, potentially streamlining policy development in this area.
  • The addition of new Acts to the designation regulation prepares for the assignment of ministerial responsibility for recently enacted or forthcoming legislation, indicating future policy directions.
  • The repeal of previous designations suggests a broader restructuring of ministerial portfolios.

Rights affected

  • Access to information — The ability to see public records and government decisions.

Other governance concerns

  • Clarity of accountability for legislative sections with common ministerial responsibility.
  • Potential for policy divergence or coordination challenges between ministries with shared oversight.
  • Transparency regarding the full scope of repealed ministerial designations without reference to the original regulation.

Primary sources (1)