At a Glance - November 28, 2023
Nurse Practitioners Will Be Able to Open Clinics in 2024
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced on Wednesday that Alberta will soon allow nurse practitioners to open their own independent clinics as a part of a broader provincial effort to expand primary care access. The independent practices will be able to open starting early next year.
According to Minister LaGrange, the province will provide the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA) with a $2-million grant over three years to help implement the new compensation model and encourage nurse practitioners to open their own practices. The announcement has been met with approval from the president of the NPAA, Susan Prendergast.
Missing the Mark on New Electric Buses
The more than $60-million effort to move to electric buses in Edmonton has stalled. While only six per cent of the ETS 1,000-bus fleet are electric buses, three-quarters of the 60 buses are in the garage with poor immediate prospects for parts to fix them.
Proterra, the American company from which the city purchased the buses between 2019 and 2022, has filed for bankruptcy protection. Edmonton is on a list of creditors, seeking $1.3 million and fulfillment of service and warranties.
While city officials remain optimistic that they will be able to receive the parts and servicing required, Edmonton could end up with nothing as it has an unsecured claim near the bottom of the list.
Affordable Housing Announcement
On Tuesday, the federal government unveiled a series of new changes aimed at addressing the growing housing issues in Canada. The measures included increased financing for the construction of new rental units, $1 billion in new federal grants to build affordable housing, changes to the “stress test” around mortgages, and plans to regulate short-term vacation rentals.
Speaking to the news of the increased funding, Alberta Seniors, Community, and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon said he was happy to see Ottawa’s housing investment. However, Minister Nixon added that the announcement does not mean “that money will come to Alberta in any way.”
Concerns Over Leaked Manning Email
An email allegedly from Preston Manning to 21 Members of Parliament was posted online by Calgary Skyview Liberal MP George Chahal – who was apparently copied on the message in error. The note was copied to all Alberta Conservative MPs outside the Edmonton area.
The email, which was sent on November 15, has fallen under criticism as the email encourages the conservative MPs to use the taxpayer-funded COVID-19 review panel’s report for partisan purposes and weaponize it ahead of the next election federal election.
Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley has criticized the contents of the email as partisan, arguing that Manning “was not an objective, measured person who warranted the appointment that he received” as the chairman of the six-person COVID-19 review panel.
Premier Smith said she is not concerned about the email.
Investing in Forest Fire AI
After Canada suffered a record-breaking wildfire season, with approximately 17,900,000 hectares burned, Alberta has announced its plan to invest in artificial intelligence in an effort to predict where wildfires may ignite before they happen. Tech partners have predicted this move could save up to $ 5 million annually.
Alberta’s wildfire agency will be undertaking this initiative, partnered with software company AltaML. This partnership is part of a larger grants program called GovLab, which was founded as a collaboration between AltaML, the Alberta government, and Mitacs.