Alberta’s UCP government is pushing ahead with a wide-ranging overhaul of provincial laws, pitching it as a bid to tighten securities rules, crack down on contraband tobacco and boost the province’s digital economy.The Financial Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2025, introduced Tuesday, bundles changes across several ministries. The government says the bill will streamline operations, add new protections for investors, support vulnerable Albertans and strengthen the provincial economy.Finance Minister Nate Horner said the bill underscores the UCP’s commitment to “responsible fiscal management” and that the changes will help ensure provincial programs and institutions deliver “results that matter to Albertans.”A major portion of the bill focuses on securities rules. Amendments to the Securities Act would give the Alberta Securities Commission new tools to prevent stocks from being manipulated by false or misleading information circulating online. The province says the changes are needed to modernize securities laws and ensure companies follow disclosure requirements..The province is also escalating its fight against contraband tobacco. Amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act would introduce two new administrative penalties for the purchase, storage or sale of illegal tobacco. Enforcement agencies would also be required to report all contraband seizures to improve data collection and enforcement.The bill would also clear the way for the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which the government says will give disabled Albertans more flexibility to work while keeping financial supports. The province claims the program will offer the highest employment-income threshold in the country. Additional legislative updates would modernize the Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act and the Public Trustee Act to streamline help for vulnerable Albertans.“With these amendments, we’re opening the door for people with disabilities to build the careers they want without having to sacrifice the supports they rely on,” said Jason Nixon, minister of assisted living and social services. .He said the bill also clears out outdated processes so families can get timely help.Another major measure in the bill is the creation of an AI data centre levy. Facilities consuming 75 megawatts or more would pay a levy of up to 2%, which could be deducted from corporate income taxes paid in Alberta. The government says the levy supports its data centre strategy and will attract digital spending by positioning Alberta as the country’s most reliable and cost-competitive location for large-scale computing.The government argues expanded data-centre capacity will grow the economy by driving innovation, creating high-quality jobs and helping Alberta stay competitive in emerging technologies.The bill also raises the annual funding cap for the Alberta Heroes’ Fund for First Responders, which provides financial support to families of fallen first responders..Another provision formally confirms that Alberta will continue to backstop liabilities of the Alberta indigenous Opportunities Corporation, something the government says is already its established approach but needed clearer legislative language.Changes to the Alberta Investment Management Corporation Act would tighten safeguards around taxpayer money and protect the province from financial risk tied to legacy decisions made under former AIMCo leadership. The bill also contains a series of smaller housekeeping changes to tax, pension, fiscal-sustainability and governance laws.If passed, the government says the legislation will keep Alberta’s statutory framework “modern, efficient and responsive” as the province pushes ahead with its economic and social-policy agenda.
