Alberta
Advocacy group urges change to recall and citizen initiated referendum legislation

News release from Project Confederation
Project Confederation has been actively engaged in advocating for fair and inclusive democratic mechanisms for citizen participation in policy decisions.
In 2020, I presented arguments in favour of citizen initiated referenda and recall legislation to the Select Special Democratic Accountability Committee, emphasizing the significance of citizen-initiated referenda as a crucial aspect of democratic governance.
Bill 51, the Citizen Initiative Act, and Bill 52, the Recall Act, were passed into law in 2021.
While these bills were initially viewed as positive steps towards enhancing democracy in Alberta, it has become evident that they contain major flaws that hinder the effectiveness of recall and citizen initiative efforts.
To put it simply, the requirements are unattainable.
For instance, the requirement of collecting signatures from 40% of eligible voters for recall petitions for public officials, within a short 60-day period, posed an insurmountable challenge for the citizen who initiated a recall petition against Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
What’s the point of a recall process if the petitioner has to collect nearly three times the number of votes garnered by the official they seek to recall?
The provincial government is currently considering how to fix recall.
But, the rules for citizen initiated referenda are equally unattainable, so it’s important we act now to make sure the provincial government understands that referenda rules must get fixed at the same time.
Our friends at the Alberta Institute recently launched a petition calling on the Alberta government to fix both recall and citizen initiated referendums.
They propose the following key recommendations for reforming recall and citizen-initiated referenda legislation in Alberta:
Recall:
- Recall efforts permitted any time (they would take a minimum of 6 months anyway, while in the last 6 months there would just be no by-election)
- 20% of the number who actually voted last time must sign a petition for a Recall to be successful when there are more than 50,000 eligible voters
- 30% of the number who actually voted last time must sign a petition for a Recall to be successful when there are fewer than 50,000 eligible voters
- Signatures must be collected within a 180-day period
- A successful petition should remove municipal and provincial representatives automatically, triggering a by-election which the representative could run in, if they wish
Referenda:
- 10% of the number who actually voted last time must sign a petition for Legislative or Policy Referenda
- 20% of the number who actually voted last time must sign a petition for Constitutional Referenda
- Signatures must be collected within a 180-day period
These recommendations aim to make the recall and referenda processes more accessible and reflective of democratic principles, ensuring that citizens have a meaningful voice in shaping policy decisions.
The democratic process should be inclusive and responsive to the evolving needs and aspirations of the populace, and citizens must have the opportunity to address fundamental issues through democratic tools.
If you agree, and want to see the referendum and recall rules fixed, please sign the Alberta Institute’s petition:
Regards,
Josh Andrus
Executive Director
Project Confederation
Alberta
Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.
Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.
Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.
“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”

Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.
On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.
The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.
“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”
“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”
“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts
- The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
- The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
Alberta
CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.
During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.
Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).
Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.
How different?
If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.
And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.
Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.
Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.
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