Alberta OHS Act And OHS Code Changes Postponed Until Late 2021

In late 2020, the Alberta government introduced a number of important and controversial changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Those amendments, contained in Bill 47, Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape Act, were expected to come into force on September 1, 2021. However, the Alberta government recently announced that those changes, together with consequential changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Code, will now take effect in late 2021. The Alberta government has not committed to a specific date when the amendments will become enforceable, but the new date will likely be announced in the coming weeks.

Undoubtedly, this news will come as welcome relief to those employers struggling to understand and comply with the new legislative requirements, a challenge complicated by the pressures and fluidity of the present pandemic.