New 2025 Provincial Mandate Letter Analysis
By Alexa Briggs, the Nonprofit Chamber Vice President, Policy & Research
With new mandate letters recently issued to some Alberta Ministries, we’ve compiled an analysis to help you understand what these changes mean. This is a nonpartisan review intended to support nonprofits navigating processes and partnerships within the provincial government.
New Provincial Mandate Letters
On Wednesday, September 17, the Premier of Alberta issued new mandate letters to four Ministers:
1. Minister Tanya Fir (Arts, Culture and Status of Women)
2. Minister Joseph Schow (Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration)
3. Minister Andrew Boitchenko (Tourism and Sport)
4. Minister Todd Loewen (Forestry and Parks)
1. Minister Todd Loewen (Forestry and Parks)
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.
Why Mandate Letters are Important
Mandate letters are often used as political tools; they are also an important mechanism to establish the priorities and direction for each Ministry and therefore an excellent way to identify how your organization’s priorities may align. Mandate letters are how the Premier publicly communicates her instructions to the Ministers and one of the best ways to hold government to account on what it says it will accomplish. Here’s how mandate letters are used by governments:
1. To set Ministry Priorities
They identify specific commitments, policies, or programs the minister is responsible for leading or supporting.
2. To Flag Government Priorities
Looking across all mandate letters of a government, there are often clearly identifiable themes.
3. As a Guide for the Public Service
Ministries use them to set budgets, design programs, and measure performance against government priorities.
4. For Public Accountability
They provide a reporting framework for accomplishments by each Ministry.
How Nonprofits can Leverage Mandate Letters
Nonprofits that align programs, advocacy, and funding proposals with mandate letter commitments increase their chances of being heard, funded, and invited into partnerships. Nonprofits can use mandate letters to:
1. Identify Opportunities for Alignment
Nonprofits can use mandate letters to find where there is alignment in priorities. (As a risk mitigation strategy, it is also important to look for overt misalignment.)
Use language in mandate letters to demonstrate that your nonprofit is helping the government deliver on its own commitments and to position your nonprofit as a partner in development/implementation.
2. Engage the Right Minister
Mandate letters can help clarify which ministry is the lead when initiatives span multiple Ministries so nonprofits know who to approach first and which ministers to involve as secondary collaborators.
3. Shape Advocacy Strategies
Offer solutions/education for government priorities.
Identify gaps in the mandate letters, demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, and offer a solution.
Reference mandate letter commitments directly in briefings and other communications.
4. Increase Funding Success
When applying for government grants, nonprofits can explicitly tie outcomes to mandate letter language.
Mandate letters often foreshadow future funding opportunities or program expansions.
Analysis: 2025 Mandate Letter Themes
Since Immigration was added to the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade in the May 2025 Cabinet shuffle, a new mandate letter isn't unusual. The Minister for Tourism and Sport was also new in his portfolio in that shuffle, so a new mandate letter is also not out of the ordinary. The other two Ministries have remained constant and new mandate letters reflect changing priorities and a direction reset. Given that there is a reset in overall positioning in all four letters and a new emphasis in some areas, we may expect more mandate shifts in the days to come.
A few identifiable themes from the new mandate letters:
1. All new mandate letters emphasize the progress on commitments from the initial mandates, which could signal a government looking to demonstrate success.
2. Across ministries, economic growth and investment attraction became more explicit.
3. Stakeholder engagement remains a priority.
4. Red tape reduction remains a priority.
5. Equity commitments have been reduced in scope except where tied to already-developed strategies.
6. Cross-Ministry collaboration gained emphasis.
Analysis: Comparison by Ministry of 2023 Letters to 2025
Arts, Culture, Status of Women
Progress on 2023 Commitments (verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Release of the 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence that sets out a comprehensive and coordinated plan for awareness, prevention and supports.
Hosting several events to honour and celebrate Alberta culture and heritage, including Alberta Day and Canadian Armed Forces Day.
What’s Stayed the Same
A mandate to grow cultural industries, though broadened in scope from Alberta-specific content.
Promoting and celebrating Alberta’s cultural identity and heritage remains a central responsibility.
A commitment to repatriation of First Nation items belonging to their nations (moving from design to implementation).
What’s Different
New directive to significantly grow the size and scope of Alberta Day celebrations and opportunities to display Alberta’s provincial flag and motto.
Several areas that were in the 2023 mandate letter have been removed: funding for zoos, museums, theatres; supporting women in STEM; Francophone & LGBTQ+ engagement; building naming policy; developing a strategy to invest in Alberta’s cultural and heritage sites.
Added collaboration with Children & Family Services on domestic violence supports.
Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration
Progress on 2023 Commitments (verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Introducing the “Alberta is Calling” bonus to incentivize skilled tradespeople to find work in Alberta.
Leading a number of successful international trade missions to promote Alberta on the global stage and supported Alberta businesses to diversify into international markets.
What’s Stayed the Same
Alberta as Canada’s economic engine.
Trade missions, defending Alberta’s interests, diversifying markets.
Youth employment focus.
Skilled trades focus.
Investment attraction as a competitive priority.
Regional airport connectivity.
Cultural industries collaboration with Arts ministry.
What’s Different
The expanded mandate to include Immigration came with the directive to “use all legal means to secure more provincial control over international immigration to Alberta for the purpose of achieving a more sustainable level of immigration with a focus on economic migrants able to contribute to the growth of our economy.” Further, to work with the Associate Minister of Multiculturalism to enhance labour market related opportunities for immigrants and newcomers.
Implement commitments made in the Alberta Jobs Strategy, including a talent pipeline model.
A review of all tax incentives and industry incentive programs, and the mandate and operations of all provincial investment attraction programs and agencies.
Pass legislation to introduce cultural holidays flexibility.
Increase the annual amount allocated to the Investment and Growth Fund to $50 Million annually for the remainder of the government’s term.
Commitment to invest in Alberta’s defence industry.
The commitment to consult with Alberta private sector unions on provisions in the Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act that made charitable donations more onerous is absent in the new mandate letter.
Tourism and Sport
Progress on 2023 Commitments (verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Launching the Active Communities Initiative to support the renewal, expansion, and construction of small to medium-sized public-use sport and recreation facilities across Alberta.
Releasing Alberta’s long-term Tourism Strategy in collaboration with Travel Alberta, setting a bold target to grow tourism revenues to $25 billion by 2035 and positioning tourism as Alberta’s #1 service export.
Establishing the All-Season Resorts Act, creating a new regulator and land classification to support four-season commercial tourism developments, increase investor confidence, and promote Alberta as a globally renowned destination.
What’s Stayed the Same
Transparent bidding policy for major games/events.
What’s Different
An addition to the new mandate is to “Ensure the full implementation of the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act using all available legal and constitutional means necessary.”
Establishing a dedicated tourism and hospitality immigration stream in Alberta (with the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism) was in the original mandate and absent in the new one.
Dropped the commitment to review Alberta’s tourism levy to focus on visitor’s continuing to pay a fair amount of tax and fees.
Forestry and Parks
Progress on 2023 Commitments (verbatim from the new mandate letter):
Shortened timelines for public land disposition approvals and renewals, significantly reducing and eliminating backlogs.
Ongoing initiatives to expand the trail system, including publication of the 2025 Public Land Trail Guide to help visitors enjoy the outdoors safely and responsibly.
Modernization of the Wildlife Act, including improving wildlife management practices, updating hunting and trapping practices, supporting accessibility for hunters with disabilities and streamlining enforcement.
Worked with stakeholders to develop a Rangeland Grazing Framework to guide sustained health and biodiversity of Alberta’s grasslands, including nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration.
What’s Stayed the Same
Commitment to 900 new campsites.
Trail and recreation expansion, with Kananaskis a recurring focus.
Pursuit of recreation & conservation strategy.
Active forestry management as a tool for biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
What’s Different
Wildfire management has been added as a priority.
Implications for Alberta Nonprofits
Here are some suggestions for what your nonprofit can do in light of these new mandate 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.
Position your nonprofit as a contributor to Alberta’s economic and community strength. Where possible, highlight both return on investment (ROI) and return on community (ROC) showing how your work not only delivers economic value but also prevents costs, builds resilience, and strengthens quality of life.
Demonstrate how your nonprofit is an important stakeholder or can provide access to an important stakeholder group for priorities as outlined in the mandate letters. Stress that nonprofits don’t act alone: every dollar invested attracts volunteers, donations, and partnerships. This creates a multiplier effect beyond what direct government programs can achieve.
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.
Alberta Day is on September 1st – start considering now how your nonprofit plays a role in the recognition and celebration of that day in 2026.
Sport and recreation organizations might want to prepare for reduced investment in infrastructure (community rec centres, sport facilities) which may mean targeted government relations strategies and/or advocacy planning.
Nonprofits may be able to access funding for youth employment, newcomer integration, and short-term training but must adapt to stricter immigration policy and a clear demonstration of relevance to Alberta’s economic strategy.
There will be opportunities in wildfire education/prevention partnerships and recreation stewardship, which would be advantageously framed in measurable outcomes like biodiversity and resilience.
Read through the Alberta Jobs Strategy, find where your nonprofit’s mission aligns, and adjust your communications to include that message. Nonprofits are an important and significant contributor to Alberta’s labour market.
Immigrant and newcomer serving agencies should prepare for the province’s intent to have more control of that system, which may mean bolstering your relationships with provincial and federal government partners and/or connecting with other agencies to collaborate on messaging and strategy.