1979 BILL 24 First Session, 19th Legislature, 28 Elizabeth II THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA BILL 24 THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT THE MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT First Reading Second Reading Committee of the Whole Third Reading Royal Assent Printed by the Queen’s Printer for the Province of Alberta, EDMONTON Title: 1979 (19th, 1st) Bill 24, The Department of Economic Development Act

Bill 24 BILL 24 1979 THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT (Assented to , 1979) HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows: 1 In this Act, (a) “Department” means the Department of Economic Development; (b) “Minister” means the Minister of Economic Development. 2 There shall be a department of the public service of the Province called the Department of Economic Development over which shall preside the member of the Executive Council appointed by the Lieutenant Governor under the Great Seal of the Province as Minister of Economic Development. 3(1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may establish the offices of not more than 2 Deputy Ministers for the Depart­ ment and shall designate the name for each office so established.

(2) In accordance with The Public Service Act there may be appointed (

a) the Deputy Ministers whose offices are established under subsection (1), and (

b) such other employees as are required to conduct the business of the Department. 4(1) The Minister may from time to time engage the services of experts or persons having special technical or other knowl­ edge to advise him or to inquire into and report to him on matters under the Minister’s administration.

(2) A person whose services are engaged under this

section may be paid such remuneration and expenses as the Minister may prescribe. 1

Explanatory Notes 1

Definitions. 2 Department. 3 Staff. 4 Services of experts. 1

5 The Minister may in writing delegate any power, duty or function conferred or imposed on him by this Act or any other Act under his administration to any employee of the Depart­ ment or any member, officer or employee of an agent of the Crown in right of Alberta. 6(1) The Minister may establish such boards, committees or councils as he considers necessary or desirable to act in an advisory or administrative capacity in connection with any of the policies, programs, services or other matters under his administration.

(2) The Minister may, with respect to any board, committee or council established under this section, (

a) appoint or provide for the manner of the appointment of its members, (

b) prescribe the term of office of any member, (

c) designate a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary, and (

d) authorize, fix and provide for the payment of remuneration and expenses to its members.

(3) A board, committee or council established pursuant to this

section may make rules of procedure, subject to the approval thereof by the Minister, governing the calling of its meetings and the conduct of business at its meetings.

(4) A board, committee or council established pursuant to this

section may exercise such powers and shall perform such duties and functions as the Minister may approve, confer or impose upon it. 7(1) The Minister may make grants if (

a) he is authorized to do so by regulations under this section, and (

b) there is authority available in a supply vote for the purpose for which the grant is to be made.

(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations (

a) authorizing the Minister to make grants; (

b) prescribing the purposes for which grants may be made; (

c) governing applications for grants; 2

5 Delegation of power. 6 Advisory boards, committees or councils. 7 Grants 2

(

d) prescribing the persons or organizations or classes of persons or organizations eligible for grants; (

e) specifying the conditions required to be met by any applicant for a grant to render that person eligible for the grant; (

f) prescribing the conditions upon which a grant is made and requiring the repayment thereof to the Government if the conditions are not met; (

g) providing for the payment of any grant in a lump sum or by instalments and prescribing the time or times at which the grant or the instalments may be paid; (

h) limiting the amount of any grant or class of grant that may be made; (

i) authorizing the Minister to delegate in writing to any employee of the Government any duty, power or function respecting the payment of any grant; (

j) requiring any person receiving a grant to account for the way in which the grant is spent in whole or in part; (

k) authorizing the Minister to enter into an agreement with respect to any matter relating to the payment of a grant.

(3) Any regulation made under subsection (2) may be specific or general in its application. 8(1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regula­ tions providing for the guarantee by the Government of the repayment of principal and interest or principal or interest in respect of loans made for the purpose of undertaking or developing projects directly beneficial to economic development within Alberta.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) may (

a) prescribe the purposes for which a Government guaran­ tee of a loan may be given; (

b) prescribe the persons or organizations or classes of persons or organizations eligible to apply for the guarantees; (

c) prescribe the procedure for the submission of applica­ tions for the guarantees; (

d) prescribe the form and content of applications for the guarantees; 3

8 Guarantees of loans. 3

(

e) prescribe the conditions required to be met by appli­ cants to render them eligible for the guarantees; (

f) prescribe the terms and conditions upon which the guarantees are to be given; (

g) prescribe the security to be given to the Government by applicants in consideration of the guarantees; (

h) define, for the purposes of this section, undertakings and developments constituting projects directly beneficial to economic development.

(3) A guarantee of a loan pursuant to the regulations under this

section (

a) shall be in the form approved by the Provincial Treas­ urer, and (

b) may be executed on behalf of the Government by the Provincial Treasurer, the Deputy Provincial Treasurer or by any other person designated by the Provincial Treasurer, and the signature on the guarantee by any person referred to in clause (

b) is conclusive proof that the relevant provisions of the regulations have been complied with. 9 The Minister may on behalf of the Government of Alberta enter into agreements on any matter under his administration with the Government of Canada, the government of a province of Canada, an agency of any of those governments, a municipal authority in Alberta or any other person. 10 A reference to the Minister of Business Development and Tourism or the Minister of Transportation, to the Deputy Minister of Business Development and Tourism or a Deputy Minister for the Department of Transportation or to the De­ partment of Business Development and Tourism or the De­ partment of Transportation in an order, regulation, rule, by­ law, agreement or other instrument made by or under the authority of

an Act administered by the Minister of Economic Development at the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the Minister of Economic Devel­ opment, a Deputy Minister for the Department of Economic Development or the Department of Economic Development, as the case may be. 11 The Department of the Environment A ct is amended (

a) by repealing

section 10(1)(

e) and substituting the following: 4

9 Agreements. 10 References to former names. 11 Consequential amendment to

chapter 24 of the Statutes of Alber­ ta, 1971. 4

(

e) a Deputy Minister of the Department of Economic Development designated by the Minister of Economic Development, (

b) in

section 11(2)(

f) by striking out “Department of Busi­ ness Development and Tourism” and substituting “Depart­ ment of Economic Development”. 12 The Energy Resources Conservation Act is amended by repeal­ ing

section 19(1)(

c) and substituting the following: (

c) a Deputy Minister of the Department of Economic Development designated by the Minister of Economic Development, 13 The Alberta Resources Railway Corporation Act is amended (

a) in

section 4 by striking out “Minister of Transportation” wherever it occurs and substituting “Minister of Economic Development”, and (

b) in sections 5(1) and 11(6) by striking out “Minister of Industry and Commerce” and substituting “Minister of Economic Development”. 14 This Act comes into force on the day upon which it is assented to. 5

12 Consequential amendment to

chapter 30 of the Statutes of Alber­ ta, 1971. 13 Consequential amendment to

chapter 15 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta 1970. 5 Title: 1979 (19th, 1st) Bill 24, The Department of Economic Development Act