One Simple Act makes all the difference

A message from Premier Ed Stelmach

In celebration of Environment Week, I encourage all Albertans to commit to One Simple Act to make a difference for the environment. This can be any action that reduces waste or conserves energy or water.

As part of the One Simple Act campaign, I’ve made a personal commitment to plant a tree on the Alberta Legislature grounds. As a result of this act, I learned that one tree absorbs 200 kg of carbon dioxide over 80 years. Environment Minister Renner committed to continuing to replace the light bulbs in his home and constituency office with compact fluorescents.

There are many things you can do at home. Recycling a glass jar saves enough energy to light a bulb for four hours. Recycling one aluminum can saves the amount of energy required to light a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours or run a TV for three hours. Keeping a reusable mug close at hand can reduce your waste by three kg a year.

Commit to your own Simple Act

Historic agreement between government and Alberta First Nations

At the end of May, the Government of Alberta signed an historic Protocol Agreement with the Grand Chiefs and Vice Chiefs of Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The agreement outlines government-to-government relations between Alberta First Nations and the provincial government.

The five-year agreement summarizes how Alberta will work with First Nations through mutually negotiated and signed agreements, protocols, memoranda and understandings. It provides an overall provincial policy approach to First Nations relations and represents all 47 First Nations - more than 100,000 people across Alberta. The protocol builds on recommendations from consultations with First Nations, including the Aboriginal component of the oil sands consultation in 2007.

Learn more about the protocol

Share your thoughts on Draft Land-use Framework

In order to better balance the environmental, social and economic needs of our province’s land, the Alberta government has released the Draft Land-use Framework to improve land-use planning.

The draft framework provides a strategic blueprint for all levels of government and Albertans as we make decisions today about the province we want in the future.

Albertans are being asked to comment and share their thoughts on the draft framework.

Read more about the framework and submit your thoughts

Taking action to reduce high-intensity residential fires

The Alberta government is taking action to reduce the effects of high-intensity residential fires.

The government’s top priorities are to save lives and property in fires. Immediate actions include:

• increase public education efforts to give Albertans information to prevent fires;
• improve the fire code to help prevent arson and to promote construction site safety;
• improve the building code so homes built 1.2 metres from the property line are safer from high-intensity fires through measures such as requiring fire-resistant gypsum wallboard under vinyl siding;
• improve requirements for new multi-family buildings that would already require sprinkler systems, by requiring additional sprinklers for balconies, attics and crawl spaces; and
• make new homes with attached garages safer by requiring fire detectors and gypsum wallboard in the garages.

Read more about the report that led to the changes