The frustration and confusion for many famers surrounding Alberta’s Bill 6 will be laid to rest as Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen will be repealing the Bill, and replacing it with the Farm Freedom and Safety Act (FFSA). New Alberta ag minister to kick off consultation on Bill 6 repeal Over the past few… Read More
Category: Bill 6
Devin Dreeshan, Alberta’s newest Agriculture and Forestry minister and representative for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, has started the role at a time when not only are farmers busy in the fields, but the forest fire season is also in full swing. Dreeshan was recently featured on RealAg Radio to talk about what’s front and centre for his… Read More
Climbing on bins is one of the things that you just have to do if you are a farmer. If you do not have to do it yourself, someone who works for you has to do it. Grain bins have evolved over the years, but the same could not be said for fall protection (safety… Read More
Although many Albertans are still on edge about Bill 6, which takes effect on December 1, there’s some good news for those who are going to have to upgrade their equipment or train new staff under the new regulations. The Alberta government recently announced $6 million in funding to be used towards costs farmers and… Read More
Since May 2015, when Alberta elected Rachel Notley and the NDP as its government, the province’s farmers and ranchers have had some adjusting to do. Legislative changes, such as Bill 6, have not been without controversy, but we perhaps haven’t seen the sweeping changes many feared. Still, farmers are dealing with depressed commodity markets and… Read More
Gord Winkel’s occupational history revolves largely around Alberta’s oil sands, having managed operations for Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil and Syncrude Canada. And he’s now bringing his experience in oil and gas workplace safety to the agriculture sector. Currently the University of Alberta’s chair and Industrial Professor of Engineering Safety and Risk Management, Winkel is also the facilitator… Read More
Last week, the Alberta government introduced Bill 17, the Fair and Family-Friendly Workplaces Act, which updates Alberta’s Labour Code and Employment Standards Code. Since the bill covers all workers in Alberta, it requires some further digging to parse out what applies to agriculture and farms. On Friday, Shaun Haney spoke with Oneil Carlier, Minister of… Read More
The Alberta government has introduced legislation to overhaul workplace rules across the province, including expanding labour relations rights and employment standards rules to non-family farm workers. Bill 17, named the Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act, received its first reading on Wednesday. If passed, most of it would take effect on January 1, 2018. While many… Read More
Albertans are being asked to provide feedback on recommendations made by two of the working groups looking at how Bill 6 could apply to farms and ranches. Since the introduction of the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act in November 2015, farmers across Alberta, and even other provinces, have criticized the government’s plan to implement tighter labour… Read More
When the Bill 6 town halls started in the fall, Christina Gray was a private member in Alberta’s Legislature, under the New Democratic Party. Now, she’s Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal. That means, part of her portfolio involves work with the Enhancement of Protection of Farm and Ranch Workers. On Friday,… Read More