The Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas of Alberta (also commonly called Alberta Environment and Protected Areas) is the Alberta provincial ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta responsible for environmental issues and policy as well as some, but not all, parks and protected areas in Alberta.
Ministers
The first Minister of the Environment was Jim Henderson, appointed by Premier Harry Strom in 1971. He was succeeded by William Yurko from 1971 to 1977. Ian Reid was the minister in 1988 and 1989 Ralph Klein was the minister from 1989 to 1992. The ministry was renamed Environment and Parks on May 24, 2015. On June 28, 2022, Whitney Issik was appointed Environment and Parks Minister, replacing Jason Nixon. On June 9, 2023, Rebecca Schulz was sworn in as Minister of Environment and Protected Areas.
Acts
Natural Resources Conservation Board Act (NRCBA)
Natural resource refers to "the subsurface, land surface, water, fauna and flora resources of Alberta, but does not include an energy resource as defined in the Responsible Energy Development Act." Environmental impact assessment (EIS) reports are ordered under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. Industrial mineral projects are defined in the Mines and Minerals Act. Alberta Land Stewardship Act Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act Public Lands Act: Land Stewardship and Fund Regulation
Agencies
Environment and Parks as a ministry of the Government of Alberta, consists of Alberta Recycling Management Authority, Alberta Used Oil Management Association, Beverage Container Management Board, Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund, Environmental Appeals Board, [Environmental Protection and Enhancement Fund], Land Compensation Board, [Land Stewardship Fund], Land Use Secretariat, Natural Resources Conservation Board, Surface Rights Board.
Alberta Recycling Management Authority
The Alberta Recycling Management Authority, established in 1992, a not-for-profit association that manages Alberta's recycling program which includes recycling of tires, paints and electronics. Alberta Recycling Management Authority reports to the Minister of Alberta Environment.
Alberta Used Oil Management Association
Alberta Used Oil Management Association (AUOMA) manages the "Alberta province-wide Recycling Program for Used Oil, Used Oil Filters and Plastic Oil Containers."
Beverage Container Management Board
Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB), a not-for-profit association, was established in 1997 under the Beverage Container Recycling Regulation section of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
The Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund
Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) established in 2009 by the Province of Alberta, is an independent organization that establishes or participates in "funding initiatives that reduce GHG emissions or improve our ability to adapt to climate change."
CCEMC is aligned with and builds on Alberta's 2008 Climate Change Strategy and Carbon Capture and Storage Development Council, and "seeks to complement decisions made on large carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects."
In December 2014 Environment Minister Kyle Fawcett attended the 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru where conference delegates held negotiations towards a global climate agreement with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) as the overarching goal. In line with this, Fawcett described how his key goal was to build networks with other "sub-national jurisdictions", Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia and California — to potentially work on new agreements on carbon offset — across provincial and national borders as part of the province's climate change framework.