2017 Bill 207 Third Session, 29th Legislature, 66 Elizabeth II THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA BILL 207 REGULATORY BURDEN REDUCTION ACT MR. HUNTER First Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Second Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Committee of the Whole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Third Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Royal Assent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 Bill 207 Mr. Hunter BILL 207 2017 REGULATORY BURDEN REDUCTION ACT (Assented to , 2017)

WHEREAS unnecessary and burdensome regulations negatively impact the cost of doing business in Alberta;

WHEREAS there is a need to streamline Alberta’s regulatory regime and enhance its effectiveness; and

WHEREAS any increase in the administrative burden imposed by regulations on business must be offset by a corresponding decrease in unnecessary and burdensome regulations; THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows:

Definitions 1 In this Act, (a) “administrative burden” means anything that is necessary to demonstrate compliance with a regulation, including the collection, processing, reporting and retention of information and the completion of forms; (b) “business” means a person or entity that engages in commercial activities in Alberta other than for a public purpose; (c) “regulation” means a regulation as defined in the Regulations Act.

2 Application 2 This Act applies to regulations made by or with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council or a Minister of the Crown, subject to any exemptions prescribed by the regulations. Purpose 3 The purpose of this Act is to control the administrative burden that regulations impose on businesses. Control of administrative burden 4 If a regulation is made or amended that imposes a new administrative burden on a business, one or more regulations must be amended or repealed to offset the cost of that new burden against the cost of an existing administrative burden on a business.

Control of number of regulations 5 If a regulation is made that imposes a new administrative burden, other than a regulation that only amends an existing regulation, an existing regulation must be repealed unless one has already been repealed in accordance with

section 4. Policies and directives 6 The President of the Treasury Board may establish policies or issue directives respecting the manner in which sections 4 and 5 are to be applied. Regulations 7 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, for the purpose of sections 4 and 5, make regulations respecting (

a) the manner of calculating the cost of an administrative burden, (

b) the period within which measures must be taken to comply with those sections, (

c) the taking into account of regulations that are amended or repealed before a new administrative burden is imposed, (

d) the application of those sections to any regulation made, amended or repealed after the coming into force of this Act, and

3 (

e) the regulations that the Treasury Board may exempt from the application of those sections and the categories for which, and the circumstances in which, such an exemption may be granted. General 8(1) No action or other proceeding may be brought against the Crown in right of Alberta for anything done or omitted to be done, or for anything purported to be done or omitted to be done, under this Act.

(2) No regulation is invalid by reason only of a failure to comply with this Act. Annual report 9 The President of the Treasury Board must prepare and make public each year a report on the application of sections 4 and 5 during the 12-month period ending on March 31 of the year in which the report is to be made public. Regulations 10 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations respecting the information to be included in the report and respecting the form of the report required under

section 9. Review of Act 11 Within 5 years of the coming into force of this Act, a committee of the Legislative Assembly must begin a comprehensive review of this Act and must submit to the Legislative Assembly, within one year after beginning the review, a report that includes any recommendations of the committee.

Record of Debate STAGE DATE MEMBER FROM TO TOTAL CUMULATIVE TOTAL Title: 2017 (29th, 3rd) Bill 207, Regulatory Burden Reduction Act