Legislative Assembly of Alberta

Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
31st Alberta Legislature
Type
Type	Unicameral house of the Alberta Legislature
History
Founded	September 9, 1905
Preceded by	North-West Legislative Assembly
Leadership
Speaker	Nathan Cooper, UCP ; since May 30, 2019
Premier	Danielle Smith, UCP ; since October 11, 2022
Government House Leader	Joseph Schow, UCP ; since October 24, 2022
Opposition Leader	Christina Gray, NDP ; since June 24, 2024
Opposition House Leader	Christina Gray, NDP ; since February 8, 2021
Structure
Seats	87
Political groups	Government; United Conservative (49); Official Opposition; New Democratic (37);
Elections
Last election	May 29, 2023
Next election	On or before October 18, 2027
Meeting place
	Alberta Legislature Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Website
	assembly.ab.ca

The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. Since 2012 the Legislative Assembly has had 87 members, elected first past the post from single-member electoral districts.^[1] Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Alberta, as the viceregal representative of the King of Canada.^[2] The Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor together make up the unicameral Alberta Legislature.

The maximum period between general elections of the assembly, as set by Section 4 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is five years, which is further reinforced in Alberta's Legislative Assembly Act.^[3] Convention dictates the premier controls the date of election and usually selects a date in the fourth or fifth year after the preceding election. Amendments to Alberta's Elections Act introduced in 2021 fixed the date of election to between the last Monday in May in the fourth calendar year following the preceding election.^[4] Alberta has never had a minority government and an election as a result of a vote of no confidence has never occurred.

To be a candidate for election to the assembly, a person must be a Canadian citizen older than 18 who has lived in Alberta for at least six months before the election and has registered with Elections Alberta under the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act. Senators, senators-in-waiting, members of the House of Commons, and criminal inmates are ineligible.^[5]

The 30th Alberta Legislature was dissolved on May 1, 2023. The members-elect of the 31st Alberta Legislature were elected on May 29.

^ "Legislative Assembly of Alberta". www.assembly.ab.ca.
^ The Alberta Act, 4-5 Edw. VII [1905], c. 3 (Canada), s. 12 .
^ Legislative Assembly Act, RSA 2000, c. L-9, s. 3(1)
^ Election Act, RSA 2000, c. E-1, s. 38.1(2)
^ Election Act, RSA 2000, c. E-1, s. 56

[1] "Legislative Assembly of Alberta". www.assembly.ab.ca.

[2] The Alberta Act, 4-5 Edw. VII [1905], c. 3 (Canada), s. 12 .

[3] Legislative Assembly Act, RSA 2000, c. L-9, s. 3(1)

[4] Election Act, RSA 2000, c. E-1, s. 38.1(2)

[5] Election Act, RSA 2000, c. E-1, s. 56

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