New 2025 Provincial Mandate Letter Analysis, Part 6
We’re continuing our analysis of new mandate letters issued to Alberta Ministries. These letters establish priorities and direction for each Ministry. Check out our first post on the topic for more on why mandate letters matter, how they can inform your nonprofit’s strategy, plus an analysis of the first four mandate letters released on September 17.
We’ve also posted an analysis of the previous sets of letters, follow the links below to read:
Second set, September 22
Third set, September 25
Fourth set, October 2
Fifth set, October 8
The following covers the final four letters released on October 16. This is a nonpartisan review intended to support nonprofits navigating processes and partnerships within the provincial government.
New Provincial Mandate Letters
On Thursday, October 16, the Premier of Alberta issued new mandate letters to four Ministers. See the new directives for:
Mandate letters are issued at the beginning of a term, and these are new letters coming mid-way through this election cycle, with the next provincial election expected in 2027.
Analysis: 2025 Mandate Letter Themes
A few identifiable themes from the new mandate letters:
All new mandate letters emphasize the progress on commitments from the initial mandates, which could signal a government looking to demonstrate success.
Across ministries, economic growth and investment attraction became more explicit.
Stakeholder engagement remains a priority.
Red tape reduction remains a priority.
Equity commitments have been reduced in scope except where tied to already-developed strategies.
Cross-Ministry collaboration gained emphasis.
The following letters also reflect the completion of the Health System Refocus, which restructures the original Ministry of Health into four ministries:
Primary and Preventative Health Services – community, family, and early intervention
Hospital and Surgical Health Services – acute care, emergency, and surgical systems
Assisted Living and Social Services – housing, disability, and continuing care
Mental Health and Addiction – recovery services and prevention
Analysis: Comparison by Ministry of 2023 Letters to 2025
Affordability and Utilities
The Ministry of Affordability and Utilities received a mandate letter in 2023 and an expanded priority letter in 2024 (for the ministry to assume responsibility of nuclear energy development).
Progress on 2023 Commitments (Verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Investing $8.5 million in the Rural Utilities program to provide rural communities with reliable and affordable home heating options.
Protecting Albertans from high utility costs with the Rate of Last Resort.
Saving consumers more than $280 million in utility costs.
Advancing the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act to restructure the energy market, modernize the transmission system, and enable hydrogen blending into the natural gas distribution system.
Protecting high-value agricultural lands and pristine viewscapes through the advancement of the Electric Energy Land Use and Visual Assessment Regulation.
Updating the Rural Utilities Act to enhance the sustainability of Rural Electrification Associations.
Supporting Nordegg’s connection to the natural gas distribution system through a $2.5 million capital grant.
Removing the ability for municipalities to levy volatile Local Access Fees.
Proclaiming the Electricity Statutes (Modernizing Alberta’s Electricity Grid) Amendment Act.
What’s Stayed the Same
Continued focus on keeping utility costs low and protecting consumers from price volatility, including work on electricity and energy distribution costs.
Persistent opposition to federal regulations that are perceived as infringing on Alberta’s jurisdiction – 2023 was against the net-zero power grid by 2035 and 2025 is against the Clean Electricity Regulation.
Ongoing collaboration with Ministry of Indigenous Relations to accelerate Indigenous communities’ connections to electricity, gas, and internet services.
2024 expanded priority letter for the legislative, regulatory, and policy development of nuclear energy fully integrated into the ministry’s 2025 responsibilities. This includes direction to complete public and indigenous engagement, develop a roadmap and framework, and ensure industry readiness for future projects.
What’s Different
2023 addressed specific affordability concerns for housing (property owners and renters), utilities, food costs, and insurance (cars and property). 2025 only addresses utilities and energy.
Introduction of an aggressive legal and policy stance in 2025 under the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act to counter the federal Clean Energy Regulation.
“Your ministry is empowered to use any and all legal and policy tools at your disposal to counteract, bypass, ignore, frustrate and offset the impacts of this unconstitutional regulation until its eventual defeat.”
Expanded interprovincial and cross-border collaboration with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Montana in 2025 to enhance the reliability of Alberta’s power grid.
2025 direction to ensure all government agencies follow reform for wind and solar project approvals to protect landscapes and agricultural lands while also minimizing costs for taxpayers. This aligns with the reduced focus on renewable energy sources in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.
New collaboration with the Ministry of Technology and Innovation to fast-track AI data centre projects and develop an AI data centre attraction strategy.
2025 uses explicit language to address the disparity of distribution fees across the province.
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction
Progress on 2023 Commitments (Verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Introducing the Automatic Yes policy framework which promotes the reduction of red tape and fast tracks permitting across government.
Implementing the Access to Information Act, which modernizes Alberta’s approach to information management and ensures accessibility and transparency.
Working with Cabinet and Caucus colleagues, delivering a 25% discount on personal registry services, driver’s medical examinations and camping fees for seniors.
Passing the iGaming Alberta Act, ensuring Albertans can safely gamble online in a regulated market.
Cutting red tape across government by 33 per cent, including removing red tape in the liquor and cannabis industries.
What’s Stayed the Same
Clear focus to enhance administrative operational efficiencies and streamlined government approvals – as seen with the Automatic Yes policy introduced in 2023 and the direction to apply it to all permits within the ministry in 2025.
Continued emphasis of efficiency and modernization of service delivery to Albertans. 2023 focused on fixing backlogs in Land Titles and permit wait times, while 2025 continues modernization with the Alberta Registries for Land Online system and AI-driven call centres.
Both years highlight reforming or modernizing Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) operations to reduce red tape and enhance provincial revenues.
2025 furthers the 2023 directive to implement amendments to the Condominium Property Act by launch a Condominium Dispute Resolution Tribunal.
Procurement modernization to improve efficiency and increase value for Albertans has developed from the 2023 direction to form a procurement council (MacKinnon Panel) to a data-driven procurement program in 2025.
What’s Different
New initiatives introduced in 2025:
Alberta Whiskey Act – create provincial standards for labeling Alberta whiskey.
Drivers Licences – add Canadian citizenship identifier for added election security and add Alberta health numbers to link identity and health systems.
License Plates – require “Strong and Free” to appear on all new standard plates.
AI and Automation in call centres – improves service delivery to Albertans across the government
Missing from 2023 letters:
Direction for life-lease protections and prompt payment legislation for contractors are absent in 2025.
There is no mention of the hydrogen and Electric-Vehicle charging network that was featured in 2023.
The 2025 letter places greater emphasis on technology integration, automation, and data governance over 2023’s focus on administrative efficiencies.
Technology and Innovation
The Ministry of Technology and Innovation received a mandate letter in 2023 and an expanded priority letter in 2024 (to include the development and implementation of a Data Centre Strategy).
Progress on 2023 Commitments (Verbatim from the new mandate letter)
Releasing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centre Strategy, which provides a vision to make Alberta the most attractive place to build data centres in North America.
Introducing the Protection of Privacy Act, which offers continued protection of Albertans’ privacy, adapting to the new realities of rapidly changing technologies.
What’s Stayed the Same
Consistent focus on the development and implementation of a digital strategy that emphasizes security and privacy while also delivering stronger, faster, and smarter services to Albertans.
Continued direction to implement the Alberta Technology and Innovation Strategy that attracts and retains innovators, entrepreneurs and investors in the province.
Ongoing work with ministries of health to improve effectiveness of the IT systems in Alberta’s health systems. Moving from identifying opportunities in 2023 to implementing services such as the Mobile Health Card, Alberta Wallet, and health numbers on driver’s licences.
Continued implementation of the Alberta’s Broadband Strategy to ensure province-wide access to reliable internet service. The 2023 letter mentioned collaboration with the federal government which is absent in 2025.
What’s Different
Heightened increase of focus on AI in 2025 – including training, tracking, and adoption within Alberta Public Service, the fast-tracking of AI data-centre projects, and AI call-centres.
2023 governance of software engineers and attracting investment in digital media industry is absent in 2025.
2025 introduces an emphasis on maximizing investment returns for Albertans by allowing Alberta Enterprise Corporation and Alberta Innovates to co-invest in technology companies. Additionally, the 2025 letter introduces an intellectual property framework that ensures taxpayers benefit from publicly funded post-secondary research through returns and commercialization.
2025 direction to review contracts and grants to ensure funding aligns with government priorities.
Treasury Board and Finance
Progress on 2023 Commitments (Verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Delivering on the new eight per cent personal income tax bracket for Albertans on earnings up to $60,000.
Announcing the design of a new levy framework for Artificial Intelligence data centres investing in Alberta.
What’s Stayed the Same
Commitment to balanced budgets, fiscal restraint, and debt reduction, including maintaining spending increases below inflation plus population growth.
Ongoing focus on growing the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund to reduce reliance on resource revenues.
Continued leadership in ensuring Alberta’s tax advantage and protecting low taxes for individuals and businesses.
Ongoing responsibility for ATB Financials’ mandate review and recommendations on competitiveness and long-term sustainability.
Emphasis on affordability, particularly around insurance reform (automobile and property).
What’s Different
2023 emphasized legislative tax protection with the Alberta Taxpayer Protection act and the creation of a new tax bracket, whereas 2025 is focused on performance-based fiscal responsibility with keeping spending under control/debt and tracking the lowered cost of WTI (cost of crude oil).
2025 direction to establish a procurement secretariat to ensure transparent and efficient government procurement practices.
2025 focus on reviewing grants to ensure the necessity of granting programs. This includes the potential of requiring a 50% matching component or eliminating underperforming programs entirely.
Create an oversight committee in 2025 to assess major agreements between the provincial government and private sector or other levels of government.
The 2025 letter introduces a framework for government equity participation in private organizations receiving grants and would allow Alberta to take ownership interest in ventures or intellectual property developed with public funds.
2025 directive to co-lead on transportation initiatives such as the Blue Line LRT in Calgary and the Passenger Rail Strategy, on technology initiatives such as Alberta’s Artificial Intelligence data centre attraction strategy.
Work with Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services in 2025 to coordinate income-tested programs across government to streamline application processes for Albertans.
The 2025 mandate explicitly instructs Treasury Board and Finance to prioritize loans for Alberta industries (energy and agriculture) which are “under assault by the federal government and woke international banking culture”.
The Alberta Pension Plan, Alberta Revenue Agency, and Halal financing option for Alberta’s Islamic communities from the 2023 letters are absent in 2025.
New 2025 tourism taxes and fees to support tourism industry growth.
Implications for Alberta Nonprofits
Here are some suggestions for your nonprofit in light of themes that cut across all letters:
With this provincial government in mid-term and looking to demonstrate outcomes, consider how your nonprofit has contributed to any of the progress as identified in the mandate letters and how your nonprofit can contribute to demonstrable results in the outlined priorities.
Explain how your work helps people sooner, saves money later, and keeps government systems from being overwhelmed. You can formalize this in the language of both return on investment (ROI) and return on community (ROC).
Explain how your organization is either directly involved in government priorities, or helps reach the people and communities that matter for those priorities. Remind decision-makers that nonprofits never work alone: every dollar put into your work also brings in volunteers, donations, and community partners. That means the impact is multiplied — far greater than what government could achieve on its own.
Make a clear case how your nonprofit contributes to red tape reduction and include that language in all core communications. Point out that many nonprofits reduce downstream government costs and burdens by preventing crises whether in health, justice, or employment.
Prepare for reduced emphasis on diversity/inclusion mandates compared to 2023, which may mean developing targeted government relations strategies, changing core communications, and/or developing advocacy strategies to support the communities you serve. Even though equity language has been trimmed from mandate letters, nonprofits can argue that equity work isn’t “extra”, it’s a driver of stronger labour markets, safer communities, and innovation. Nonprofits can surface community voices that government might otherwise miss.
Build partnerships across ministries as cross-ministry collaboration is emphasized.
Here are suggestions based on individual mandate letter analysis*:
Take careful note of the Government’s intent to review all grants for necessity. Any nonprofits with grants from the Government of Alberta should reach out to their Ministry contacts for any available details about this review and a request to be kept informed.
Take careful note of the Government’s intent to introduce a procurement secretariat that may mean changes in procurement processes and take stock of any processes that may be impacted by changes in government procurement processes.
Be aware of reduced emphasis on addressing cost-of-living and general affordability, which may mean developing targeted government relations strategies, changing core communications, and/or developing advocacy strategies to support the communities you serve.
If you’re involved in agriculture or energy, your access to funding may improve with the instruction to prioritize loans for these industries..
When applying for permits, look at the Automatic Yes toolkit and consider how you can align your application with the standards.
*In previous analyses, we’ve provided some suggestions for how nonprofits can continue to engage with the Government of Alberta within their ministry's new directions. This list refers to the ministries included in this analysis. If you’d like to learn more about how your organization may be impacted and what you can do, check out our other posts where we’ve shared other ministry specific action suggestions.