AB Today – Daily Report April 24, 2020

Quotation of the day

“We shouldn’t wait on the federal government.”

Municipal Affairs critic calls on the UCP to double Municipal Sustainability Initiative ​ ​ funding while the Federation of Canadian Municipalities accuses Ottawa of dragging its feet on relief.

Today in AB

On the schedule The house could reconvene at any time at the government’s discretion.

Premier watch Premier sent well wishes to the family of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ elderly mother-in-law tested positive for COVID-19 in a Toronto long-term care home.

Kenney also clarified how the province will use the $1,000 cheque from a couple in Kingston, Ontario. The funds were assigned to the Foundation, and the provincial government will ​ ​ match the donation through its new $2-million charitable matching fund.

Municipalities seek cash injection from Ottawa; NDP says province should double its transfers to towns and cities Canada’s cities are incurring deep losses amid the pandemic and need massive relief from Ottawa in order to continue providing frontline services.

That’s the upshot from a new report from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) that ​ ​ calls on Ottawa to provide at least $10 billion to fill the gaps in operating budgets.

About a quarter of that relief should be allocated to municipalities based on their transit systems, which are losing a combined $400 million per month thanks to ridership declines.

“With new expenses, staggering drops in revenue and no freedom to run deficits, municipalities need emergency funding to keep essential services going strong,” FCM president Bill Karsten ​ said in a news release.

These services include policing, ambulance, public health and social housing, all of which have gained importance during the COVID-19 crisis.

FCM also notes that cities have been on the frontlines when it comes to converting arenas and other spaces into shelters. Some have made transit free and deployed extra vehicles to allow for social distancing.

One-time property levies are not a viable option to raise the needed funds, according to Karsten. In Calgary, for example, the city would have to hike property taxes by 23 per cent to cover the revenue shortfalls associated with six months of social distancing.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he is open to working “directly with municipalities” ​ ​ while noting they actually fall under provincial jurisdiction.

Towns and cities are “creatures of the province” and normally negotiate with legislatures to obtain funds. But during the pandemic, some premiers have said Ottawa should step in since it has more spending power. (“The federal government has the [money] printing machine," Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday.) ​ ​

Municipalities are not eligible for the federal government’s 75 per cent payroll subsidy.

“The crisis in municipal finance needs to be addressed and ideally provinces will play a role, but the buck stops with the federal government,” Mayor Don Iveson told reporters ​ ​ Wednesday.

Municipal Affairs Minister previously said he would consider allowing ​ ​ towns and cities to increase their debt loads.

But that’s a “terrible idea,” according to NDP Municipal Affairs critic Joe Ceci, because they may ​ ​ have to borrow at a higher interest rate.

Instead, Ceci wants the UCP to double the $960-million Municipal Sustainability Initiative with no strings attached.

In a statement to AB Today, Madu’s office said the province and municipalities are in the same ​ ​ boat when it comes to the collapse in revenues, but that lines of communication remain open.

Today’s events

April 24 at 1:30 p.m. – Teleconference ​ Health Minister Tyler Shandro, along with UCP MLAs , , and Nate ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Horner, will make an announcement about rural physician recruitment and retention. ​

Topics of conversation

● Two more people have died as a result of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total number of deaths to 67. ○ The number of positive cases has grown to 3,720, an increase of 319. So far, 1,357 people have recovered. ○ There are currently 70 people in hospital, 18 in the ICU. ○ Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said 15-person limits on mass ​ ​ gatherings will continue for the entire summer. ○ The province also plans to roll out a voluntary contact tracing app in the coming weeks. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner issued a ​ ​ statement saying they have been made aware of the app and that the office awaits a privacy impact assessment.

● The Calgary Stampede confirmed the event will be cancelled for the first time since 1923. The Stampede brings in an estimated $540-million economic kick to the province each year.

● has pushed back the start date for the public health order restricting employees from working at multiple workplaces, the Edmonton Journal ​ reports. The rule was set to take effect yesterday. ​ ○ The United Nurses of Alberta raised alarm bells that the order’s inclusion of acute care employees would mean the province’s 30,000 nurses would also be forced into the one-worker-per-facility rule. ○ Dr. Deena Hinshaw said she is working with Alberta Health Services to come up ​ with a solution.

● The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) re-upped calls to reverse AIMCo’s incoming takeover of the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund after the provincial corporation lost big in the stock market in recent weeks.

○ As part of a UCP law passed last year, AIMCo is set to take over management of teachers’ pensions in 2021. ○ ATA president Jason Schilling said AIMCo’s investment strategy “exceeds the ​ ​ risk tolerance that would be acceptable to teachers.” ○ Premier Jason Kenney told reporters there are no plans to cancel the transfer of ​ ​ the teachers’ pension funding, noting its transfer to AIMCo would save taxpayers $20 million annually in investment fees. ○ AIMCo has since ended its volatility trading strategy after losing $3 to $4 billion. ​ ​

● The Canadian Energy Regulator plans to go ahead with detailed route hearings for the ​ ​ 22 western-most sections of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, all of them in B.C. Oral hearings and site visits have been cancelled; instead, participants will be able to provide written submissions and photos.

● NDP Labour critic said the UCP must launch a public inquiry into the ​ ​ outbreak of infections at the meat packing plants in High River and Brooks. ○ “The only way we can truly learn from these tragedies and hold the government to account on these serious matters is through the launch of a full public inquiry,” Gray said. ○ She wants the inquiry held once the pandemic is resolved. It would be in addition to the ongoing Occupational Health and Safety investigation. ○ One worker at the JBS plant in Brooks and one worker at the Cargill plant in High River have died since the outbreak. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 480 cases at Cargill and 124 at JBS. ○ There has also been one confirmed case at the Sophina Foods chicken facility in Calgary, but it is not yet considered an outbreak.

● Ontario’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Alberta’s Education Minister Adriana ​ ​ ​ LaGrange chatted about the roll out of their respective learn-at-home platforms. ​ ​ ​

● An Etsy shop is selling a downloadable colouring and activity book with an #abpoli ​ ​ theme. ○ The book has colour sheets of various politicians, a Tom Olsen-themed maze, ​ ​ and a Wexit word search.

News briefs

NDP says the UCP should use its new spending authority to fully fund programs ● NDP Finance critic responded to the Treasury Board’s new $25-billion ​ ​ debt authorization by calling on the government to bolster their pandemic response and program delivery.

○ Phillips contended Finance Minister has “short changed” every ​ ​ emergency program he rolled out. ○ She provided a 12-point plan for how to spend the borrowed bucks, which includes a pitch for a rent subsidy for businesses, wage top-ups and more money for PPE. ○ A spokesperson for Toews said the government may not need to access all of the $25 billion (about half of the province’s annual budget) but extending its borrowing limit will allow “the flexibility it needs as we experience economic volatility due to COVID-19 and oil price fluctuations.” ○ The NDP’s final spending suggestion? “Fire Tyler Shandro. This costs nothing.” ​ ​

Appointments and employments

Municipal Government Board ● Wayne Drysdale, a former PC minister, and Guy Buchanan were appointed to ​ ​ ​ three-year terms on the Municipal Government Board. ○ Jeffrey Dawson, Graham Gilchrist, J.A. (Jack) Jones, Paul Mazumdar, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Dierdre Mullen, Diane Nickle and Gail Sokolan were re-appointed for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ three-year terms.

A number of university board appointments were also made via order-in-council Wednesday. ​ ​

Oops! Wednesday’s issue of AB Today erroneously reported that a COVID-19 case in Sucker Creek ​ ​ First Nation was linked to the Cargill meat plant. That case was actually linked to community transmission in High Prairie.

Lobbyist registrations

If you are looking for further information on any lobbying registry, it is all public and easily searchable here. ​ ​

Consultants who registered as lobbyists from April 17, 2020 – April 23, 2020

● Barbara Fox, Erika Barootes, Peter Csillag, Enterprise Canada Inc. ​ o Clients: Ortona Management Corporation Ltd. (operating as The Press Gallery); ​ MOST Oil; Kepler Academy

● Hal Danchilla, Melissa Caouette, Taylor Hides, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: CRM of Canada Processing, ULC ​

● Nick Koolsbergen, Trisha Rinneard, Brad Tennant, Rachel Curran, Wellington ​ Advocacy Inc. o Clients: TELUS Corporation; AMD Medicom Inc.; Spartan Bioscience Inc.; Triple ​ M Housing

● Hugh MacKinnon, Brad Gilmour, Bennett Jones LLP ​ o Clients: Orphan Well Association ​

● Elan MacDonald, Justin Smith, Global Public Affairs ​ o Clients: AltaLink Management Ltd. ​

● Jordan Pinkster, Global Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Red Bull Canada Ltd. ​

● Aleksandar Stosic, Derrick Araneda, Stosic & Associates Ltd. ​ o Clients: Mint Pharmaceuticals Inc. ​

Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from April 17, 2020 – April 23, 2020

● Terrapin Geothermic Inc. ● Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors ● Sun Life Financial ● Methanex Corporation ● General Teamsters, Local Union No. 362 ● Alberta Federation of Labour ● Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta Association ● Building Owners and Managers Association of Calgary ● Alberta Forest Products Association ● Retail Council of Canada ● Consulting Architects of Alberta ● Canadian Solar Industries Association