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By Chris Brown

$100,000 to eligible families

Province wants to create Heroes Fund to help families of fallen first responders

Nov 5, 2020 | 4:34 PM

The Alberta government has taken another step toward creating an Alberta’s Heroes Fund to improve the benefits for families of first responders who die as a result of performing their duties.

The government says the fund will provide a one-time tax-free payment of $100,000 to eligible families through the Workers’ Compensation Board.

“There is no higher form of public service than to risk one’s life to maintain public safety,” says Premier Jason Kenney in a release. “While nothing can replace a loved one, the Heroes Fund will provide families with extra support and improved benefits while honouring the brave and valiant service of Alberta’s fallen heroes.”

The move is within Bill 47, Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape, which was introduced in the legislature today.

Eligible first responders include firefighters, police officers, paramedics, sheriffs and provincial corrections officers. Alberta’s Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) will administer the Heroes Fund and will begin identifying eligible families and administering payments, which are retroactive to April 1, 2020.

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Bill 47 also seeks to make amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) and the Workers’ Compensation Act that will remove duplication and redundancy throughout the OHS Act and ensure a balanced approach to enable job creators to find and develop a skilled workforce while improving the health, safety and rights of workers.

If passed, it will also remove prescriptive elements brought in by the previous government, improve flexibility for job creators and better align Alberta with other jurisdictions.