Casual Legal: Summary of Bill 30's proposed amendments

DISCLAIMER: This article is meant to provide information to Alberta Municipalities members only and is not intended to provide legal advice. You should seek the advice of legal counsel to address your specific set of circumstances. Although every effort has been made to provide current and accurate information, changes to the law may cause the information in this article to be outdated. This content is not intended for the general public.

By Justine Fay
Reynolds Mirth Richards Farmer LLP
Alberta Municipalities Casual Legal Service Provider

The Alberta Legislature passed the first reading of Bill 30, the Service Alberta Statutes Amendment Act, on November 4, 2024.

Bill 30 was introduced by Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally. The proposed legislation seems to align with the minister’s mandate to address concerns with “red tape” in various enactments. Specifically, the proposed amendments would affect the Condominium Property Act, the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act, and the Public Works Act.

In introducing Bill 30, Minister Nally said the bill is intended to “cut red tape and simplify complicated processes for Albertans.” The bill is about 80 pages long and makes several amendments to existing legislation, including:

• With respect to the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act, clarifications on the timing and deadlines for commencing an adjudication.
• With respect to the Public Works Act, amendments to the sections relating to calls for tender, proper invoices, payment deadlines, and adjudication procedures.
• With respect to the Condominium Property Act, the establishment of a Condominium Dispute Resolution Tribunal, an administrative body designed to hear disputes before the matter is filed with the Court.

If you have any questions regarding these proposed amendments and their potential impact, please contact our office.

To access Alberta Municipalities Casual Legal Helpline, Alberta Municipalities members can call toll-free to 1-800-661-7673 or casuallegal [at] abmunis.ca (email) to reach the municipal legal experts at Reynolds Mirth Richards and Farmer LLP. For more information on the Casual Legal Service, please call 310-MUNI (6864) or riskcontrol [at] abmunis.ca (email) to connect with Alberta Municipalities Risk Management staff. Any Regular or Associate member of Alberta Municipalities can access the Casual Legal Service.