• MLAs open Alberta legislature's fall sitting amid internal UCP pushback

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-27 21:47:51.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Education, Technology, Transportation]

  The Alberta legislature opened its fall sitting on October 27, 2026, with the governing United Conservative Party (UCP) introducing new legislation aimed at removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices and bolstering protections against deepfake intimate imagery. Government house leader Joseph Schow stated that 13 to 14 bills are expected this session, covering policies on bike lanes, e-scooters, AI data centres, auto insurance changes, and an overhaul of school report cards. Meanwhile, the UCP caucus is managing internal pushback and separatist pressures, sitting at 47 of 87 seats following the immediate resignation of MLA Shane Getson, with Premier Danielle Smith's office indicating no byelection will be called prior to the scheduled October 18, 2027 provincial election.

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• Affordability measures, consumer protection legislation coming: Alberta government

  Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
  Date: 2026-10-24 00:52:20.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Affordability, Technology, Energy, Governance]

  Ahead of the Alberta legislative session, Government House Leader Joseph Schow outlined an upcoming suite of bills focused on lowering auto insurance costs, revising utility bill protections, and updating consumer rules for ticket resales and used vehicles. The provincial government under Premier Danielle Smith also plans to introduce new regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence data centres—addressing grid stability, power bills, and water usage following public backlash over a $13-billion Sturgeon County project involving Meta—alongside merit-based public sector hiring rules, bike lane legislation, and stricter illegal dumping penalties.

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• County of Grande Prairie issues data centre development permit near Sexsmith

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-30 18:09:48.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, Governance]

  The County of Grande Prairie issued a development permit under its 2003 Land Use Bylaw for a new artificial intelligence data centre near Sexsmith in the Emerson Trail area, featuring five buildings measuring 80 by 180 feet and 15 make-up air generator accessory structures measuring eight by 20 feet. Following public pushback from residents regarding transparency and potential impacts on water, noise, and the environment, County Reeve Amanda McDonald announced that future data centre applications meeting right-zoning requirements will now be routed through the Municipal Planning Commission. The underlying land-use redesignation applications for the project site were submitted by Christopher Balderston (CEO of Ground Level Land Corp.), Pamela Balderston, and Ryan Curry (operating as RB Curry Auto Transport), placing the development within Ground Level's planned Redtail Business Park. Although the municipal development permit has been granted, the project remains subject to provincial regulatory agency requirements, such as obtaining an Alberta Energy license, which heavily restricts the municipality's jurisdiction over additional environmental and operational conditions.

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• Vegas, baby: Alberta Minister Dale Nally travels to Sin City to talk iGaming

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-26 18:34:24.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Economy, Governance, Technology]

  Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally traveled to the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas to promote Alberta's emerging regulated iGaming market and engage with industry partners. Minister Nally participated in a panel alongside representatives from FanDuel, GeoComply, and the Alberta iGaming Corporation to discuss market expansion and player protections. The provincial government's stated objective for the regulated framework is to attract licensed operators in order to crowd out predatory and unregulated alternatives.

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