NDP urged to get more input on farm safety bill

Alberta’s NDP government is being accused of ramming through farm safety legislation without properly consulting the province’s farmers and ranchers.

Rural municipal politicians, farmers and the Wildrose official Opposition have complained about how the government has rolled out the pending bill, which would bring Alberta’s roughly 43,000 farms and ranches under occupational health and safety standards.

“This is probably one of the widest-sweeping pieces of legislation that will be affecting them in a generation and they would love to be able to make sure that their interests and concerns are being taken into consideration,” said Hunter, who represents Cardston-Taber-Warner.

Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, would also make Workers’ Compensation Board coverage mandatory for farm workers as of Jan. 1. The sector would also be subject to labour standards such as vacation pay and minimum wage.

Of the nine consultation meetings currently scheduled across the province, three have space available: Vegreville, Athabasca and Grande Prairie. Meetings in Leduc, Red Deer, Olds, Okotoks, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat have reached capacity.

Hunter said more consultations should be held in southern Alberta, where many farms are clustered. In Lethbridge, Okotoks and Red Deer, for example, the meetings were limited to 150 people, but in Athabasca there is space for 450 people and in Grande Prairie, there is room for 350.

Tim Hoven, an organic beef farmer who runs Hoven Farms, said he was lucky to snag a coveted spot at the Red Deer meeting.

“I find it a little frustrating that the consultations will be taking place after the legislation will probably already be passed,” he said.

Labour Minister Lori Sigurdson said four meetings were added in addition to the five initially planned. She encouraged anyone who can’t find a spot to attend to contact her department.