An Update on the Personal Information and Privacy Act Review
Starting in January 2024, the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship began a comprehensive review of Alberta’s Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA), which is required every 6 years.
PIPA is Alberta’s private sector privacy law. As such, it only applies to nonprofits for information collected, used or disclosed for commercial activity. This principle was established when the legislation came to effect in 2004 and was upheld in the 2015 comprehensive review of the legislation
Alberta Budget 2025 Highlights
Budget 2025 was released on Thursday, February 27 and we’ve pulled together high-level highlights for the nonprofit sector in key Ministries. Overall, the budget itself doesn’t make many waves. There are few new major investments, modest increases in many areas, and some decreases in grants available to community nonprofits.
Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation Review
You may have been following Calgary City Council's recent vote to approve property tax exemption for nonprofit affordable housing providers. At the Nonprofit Chamber, we have also been involved in a conversation about property taxes and nonprofits; we have been in consultation with the Province in their review of the policy governing property tax exemption for Alberta nonprofits, the Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation (COPTER). Read about that review and next steps for COPTER in the post.
Alberta Legislature Winter 2025 Update
Alberta’s legislature will resume on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025. You can follow along to the legislature’s activities and watch online here. The provincial budget will be released on February 27th with some early indication from Alberta’s Finance Minister that the budget is likely to reflect some tough choices.
Alberta Non-profit Listing Dashboard
On December 23, 2024, the Government of Alberta launched the Alberta Nonprofit Listings Dashboard, a new, publicly accessible tool designed to provide valuable data about the province's nonprofit organizations in an interactive and user-friendly format.
Introducing the Nonprofit Chamber!
For 20 years, the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations has been proud to serve as a voice for the nonprofit sector in Calgary and beyond. As Alberta’s nonprofit landscape has expanded and changed, so have we. While we continue to advocate for and support our sector, we recognized the need for a new name and brand for greater clarity, relevance, and differentiation in the nonprofit sector. That’s why we made the important decision to rebrand as the Nonprofit Chamber.
Alberta nonprofits reveal sector’s top five priorities ahead of 2023 provincial election
On Tuesday, March 14, leaders from Alberta nonprofits gathered at the Kahanoff Centre on Tuesday to unveil the sector’s five top priorities for whichever party forms government after the looming election. The Platform Priorities come as the nonprofit sector, which contributes $5.5 billion to Alberta’s economy annually and employs nearly 300,000 Albertans, has struggled in recent years through the pandemic, inflation and surging demand amid a workforce crisis.
Alberta nonprofits reveal sector’s top five priorities ahead of 2023 provincial election
On Tuesday, March 14, leaders from Alberta nonprofits gathered at the Kahanoff Centre on Tuesday to unveil the sector’s five top priorities for whichever party forms government after the looming election. The Platform Priorities come as the nonprofit sector, which contributes $5.5 billion to Alberta’s economy annually and employs nearly 300,000 Albertans, has struggled in recent years through the pandemic, inflation and surging demand amid a workforce crisis.
CCVO Releases 2023 Provincial Pre-Budget Submission
CCVO’s 2023 Provincial Pre-Budget Submission has been released. The two budget requests CCVO is making are a commitment to indexing all granting programs to inflation and growth and an investment budget in a strategic Community Prosperity Fund, eligible only to nonprofits totalling $300 million over 3 years.
The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act
Bill 1, The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, has been tabled, passed third reading and will be law once it reaches Royal Assent, which Premier Smith has indicated will be in this fall session. There is currently potential for this Act to impact any nonprofits and charities in Alberta that fall under the Act’s definition of “provincial entity”.
Alberta nonprofits call for $30 million in emergency funds to keep sector afloat
Members of Alberta’s nonprofit community stood alongside business leaders at carya Village Commons on Tuesday to call for an urgent one-time cash injection of $30 million from the provincial government to keep the nonprofit sector afloat.
The ask for an urgent, one-time top-up of $30 million comes as nonprofits across Alberta juggle heightened demand for services with increasingly complex client needs while revenues decrease.
Government of Alberta 2023 Budget Consultation
The Government of Alberta is currently looking for feedback to help decide the direction of the 2023 budget. A short online survey is open until January 15, 2023. The survey covers spending priorities and options for what to do with the projected 2022/2023 surplus.
Government of Alberta Announces Plan to Spend $50 Million on Childcare Spaces
The Government of Alberta has announced that $50 million is now available to eligible Alberta nonprofits in order to increase the number of available childcare spaces. This funding is open to “non-profit groups interested in creating new child-care spaces and providing child care in a licensed child-care program in Alberta”. The funding is part of the $3.8 billion of federal funding under the Alberta Canada Early Learning and Child Care agreement. The Government of Alberta aims to create 10,000 spaces this year with a target of “42,500 additional spaces in non-profit child-care programs by the end of March 2026”. Interested organizations can apply here.