The Provincial Priorities Act in Alberta requires provincial entities, such as municipalities and municipal organizations, to obtain approval from the Alberta government before entering into, amending, extending, or renewing agreements with federal entities. This includes agreements related to funding, services, or other collaborations. For more context on this, please read here.

Federal programs funding provincial entities, such as the University of Alberta or local school boards, could be affected by this legislation. Potential implications for speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) and audiologists could include the following:

• Delayed Funding: Agreements for federal funding of health services may face delays due to the new approval process, which could impact resources for S-LPs and audiologists.
• Service Access Barriers: Delays or blocking of funding agreements might limit funding agreements are delayed or blocked, it could limit access to speech-language pathology and audiology services for Albertans.

If your clinic relies on any of the following funding mechanisms and experiences delays that create barriers to access, we welcome you to reach out to us at advocacy@sac-oac.ca:

• Veteran’s Affairs Canada
• Canada Social Transfer
• Official Languages in Education Program