Alberta is enhancing privacy laws for its residents while also creating more transparency and accessibility to government information.
As part of the Protection of Privacy Act, which was passed in December of 2024 and came into effect on June 11, Alberta has implemented the strongest privacy protection and the strictest penalties for privacy violations within all of Canada.
Within the new act is the Protection of Privacy Regulation and the Protection of Privacy Ministerial Regulation which outline practical and detailed expectations of how public bodies need to protect the privacy of the public. One example of these new regulations is that public bodies are now required to adopt a privacy management program that meets specific standards by spring 2026.
“Albertans have told us that their privacy is important. We listened and took action," said Minister of Technology and Innovation Nate Glubish. "We brought in the strongest public sector privacy protections and the strictest penalties in Canada. This is a key part of our government’s ongoing commitment to modernizing and strengthening Alberta’s privacy and access laws to keep pace with technological advancements and best practices."
In a news release on Thursday, the government also noted it is modernizing how the public can access information, thanks to the Access to Information Act, which was passed in December 2024 and also came into effect on June 11.
The act introduces a more streamlined process for obtaining information from government and public bodies, enhances regulatory functions and sets timelines for review completions by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
"Access to information plays a vital role in ensuring public confidence and trust in the integrity of government institutions," said Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally. "The regulations and policies that will support the Access to Information Act will help secure that trust by demonstrating the government’s open and accessible approach to handling official records and enabling and encouraging government departments to proactively disclose more information to Albertans.
One key aspect of the Access to Information Act is a new proactive disclosure policy, which means public bodies are empowered by policy to release information on their own. This regulation aims to make it easier for Albertans to access information without having to file a formal request.
"Albertans have a right to know, and we expect that the number of records available through Transparency Alberta will grow with the consistent application of the proactive disclosure policy," said Nally.
The government has also created a new website, Transparency Alberta, that compiles information sources in one place. The site currently hosts over 3,000 data sets and nearly 32,000 pieces of information.
