Five more ministries get new mandate letters from Premier Smith

Mandate letters, as presented:

Education and Childcare

The Premier tasks Minister Demetrios Nicolaides with:

Increasing career education opportunities, continuing to renew curriculum and creating more pathways to get qualified teachers in classrooms. Reaffirming the Alberta government’s commitment to policies, programs and curricula that support student well-being and set students on a path to lifelong success.
Fast-tracking more school projects through the Schools Now program by committing $8.6 billion to create more than 200,000 new and updated student spaces across Alberta over the next seven years.
Supporting students with complex needs, enhancing mental health supports and continuing to promote parental involvement in education – including through ensuring the full implementation of the Education Amendment Act, 2024 (Bill 27) using all available legal and constitutional means necessary.
Negotiating a sustainable agreement with the federal government that maintains affordability for parents, leverages non-profit and for-profit providers in addressing waitlists, and returns control of child-care law and policy back to the province.

“We’re taking bold steps to modernize Alberta’s education system and better prepare students for the future. By streamlining teacher certification, expanding career counselling and promoting trades and apprenticeships, we’re opening doors to high-demand careers. Our partnerships with industry and other ministries reflect our commitment to student success, parental choice and inclusive opportunity. Together, we’re building an education system that empowers learners, supports families and strengthens Alberta’s workforce for generations to come.”
Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare

The Alberta Teachers’ Association has released a statement in response to this mandate letter, and you can read it here.

Advanced Education

The Premier tasks Minister Myles McDougall with:

Reviewing the findings of Alberta’s Expert Panel on Post-Secondary Institution Funding and Alberta’s Competitiveness, with a focus on ensuring appropriate amounts of post-secondary funding follow the student to their chosen institution, while maintaining appropriate research and operational funding for Alberta’s universities.
Working with the Ministry of Justice to assess the need for legislation that protects academic freedom and freedom of expression for teachers and students working and learning at Alberta’s post-secondary institutions.
Continuing to champion the skilled trades and professions to ensure this education track has parity of esteem as a desirable education pathway that will lead to highly rewarding careers.
Completing implementation of the Professional Governance Act to ensure the adoption of a uniform governance framework for Advanced Education’s professional regulatory organizations.

“Premier Danielle Smith has set a clear mandate for Advanced Education: to deliver results that prepare Alberta students for success and ensure our workforce meets the needs of a growing province. We’ve already expanded mental health supports, created new pathways to train rural physicians, and modernized professional regulation through the Professional Governance Act. Looking ahead, I’m focused on accelerating credential recognition, elevating the skilled trades, and protecting academic freedom on our campuses. Together, we’re building an education system that keeps opportunity and prosperity here in Alberta.”
Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education

Transportation and Economic Corridors

The Premier tasks Minister Devin Dreeshen with:

Finalizing and implementing the Passenger Rail Strategy, completing Calgary’s Blue Line LRT extension by 2030, advancing the Green Line, and planning an Edmonton Airport LRT connector.
Building and upgrading key trade and energy corridors, including Highway 686, to better connect Alberta’s northwest and northeast, driving job creation, boosting economic growth and growing non-renewable resource revenue.
Partnering with municipalities and Indigenous communities to expand water systems, bridges and local roads, and improving emergency management and prosperity-sharing.
Removing barriers to airport growth, expanding direct international flights and working with partners to build pipelines and major projects that connect Alberta’s energy to new markets.

“Albertans expect a strong, reliable transportation system that keeps people safe and goods moving. My focus will be on strengthening our road networks, advancing long-term rail planning and working with municipalities and industry to build infrastructure that supports growth and opportunity across Alberta.”
Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

Infrastructure

The Premier tasks Minister Martin Long with:

Building recovery and social infrastructure by constructing new Compassionate Intervention facilities in Calgary and Edmonton, expanding recovery communities, and directing capital funding to the highest-value health and social projects.
Strengthening capital planning and procurement by finalizing a predictable funding formula, implementing the Real Property Governance Act framework and modernizing procurement to deliver better value and efficiency.
Improving procurement practices to enhance efficiency across the Alberta government and maximizing the value of provincially funded assets through enhanced governance and integration.
Finding new ways to maximize the value and use of provincially funded assets. Renewing justice and provincial assets by assessing and upgrading courthouses.

“As Minister of Infrastructure, I’m focused on delivering vital projects that Albertans rely on. This includes schools, healthcare facilities, mental health centres, courthouses and many others to not only address the immediate growth pressures Albertans are facing today but to lay a strong foundation for a prosperous and thriving Alberta for generations to come.”
Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

Municipal Affairs

The Premier tasks Minister Dan Williams with:

Strengthening municipal relationships by building trust with local leaders, bringing their feedback to cabinet and working collaboratively to resolve conflicts between provincial and municipal policies.
Streamlining permitting and development by benchmarking approval timelines, implementing an ‘Automatic Yes’ permitting program and reducing barriers to speed up housing and business development.
Supporting strong and accountable municipalities by reviewing governance, compensation and codes of conduct to ensure elected officials can fulfill their duties, taxpayer dollars are respected and municipal governments remain viable and effective.
Protecting affordability for Albertans by exploring ways to limit excessive property tax increases, developing a strategy against specialized home taxes and supporting urban development that reflects Alberta’s values and keeps home ownership within reach.

“Albertans deserve local governments that deliver on core services and represent the interests of the community. Through this mandate, we are driving forward with change that will make local governments more accountable, reduce the regulatory burden on Albertans, ensure municipalities are set up for success, and Albertans are able to live, work and play in safe, affordable, attractive and family-friendly communities.”
Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs

by rdnewsNOW staff