Alberta Public Entities

In 2013, a new piece of legislation came into effect in the Province of Alberta: the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations. The legislation applies to departments of the provincial government, offices of the legislature, and public entities. This legislation requires the affected entities to establish an internal regime to facilitate the disclosure and investigation of serious matters and wrongdoings, protect employees who report such disclosures, and comply with reporting and training requirements. If you are a public entity in Alberta, then you need to have a compliance program in place. Clarium can provide your solutions.

Call Clarium Fraud & Compliance Solutions at 780-719-0016 or use the contact form on this page if you require a whistleblower program or are concerned about whistleblower protection in your organization.

Purpose of the Act

The Alberta Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations are intended to provide a safe and reliable mechanism for Alberta’s public employees to report significant and serious wrongdoings involving:

  • Gross mismanagement of public funds and public assets,
  • Contraventions of provincial and federal acts and regulations, and
  • Substantial and specific dangers to the life, health, and safety of individuals.

The Alberta Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations provide specific measures to protect whistleblowers from reprisals and compel a number of legal obligations upon organizations.  The legislation reflects the critical role that tips play in detecting and mitigating occupational fraud schemes and offers protection for whistleblowers that make disclosures.

Who is Affected?

The Alberta Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations apply to departments of the provincial government, offices of the legislature, and public entities including:

  • Provincial agencies, boards, commissions, and crown corporations,
  • Health sector organizations,
  • Post-secondary institutions,
  • Schools boards,
  • Charter schools, and
  • Private (independent) schools.

Each of these entities, no matter how small or large, is required to establish internal procedures and bring that organization into full compliance with the Act and Regulations.

What is Required?

If you are a reporting entity affected by the Alberta Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations, you must:

  • Identify your entity’s chief officer (the chief officer carries direct accountability for the entity’s compliance program but has the authority to delegate a number of responsibilities upon a designated officer),
  • Establish prescribed policies and procedures to manage and investigate disclosures,
  • Establish training and communication protocols to inform employees of the Act and Regulations,
  • Submit required reports to the Office of the Public Interest Commissioner, and
  • Investigate any reprisals or threats of reprisals against employees who disclose allegations of wrongdoings.

Many of these requirements are time sensitive, compelling the reporting entities to complete key milestone tasks within a defined period of time.

How Can Clarium Help?

Clarium Fraud and Compliance Solutions Ltd. can provide your organization with the expertise, experience, training, and investigative capacities required to obtain and maintain full compliance with Alberta’s Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act and Regulations.

Ken Brander, Clarium’s president and principal consultant, is ideally suited to serve as your entity’s designated officer. You can trust Ken Brander to:

  • Design your entity’s whistleblower policies and procedures,
  • Design and deliver training to your employees,
  • Receive employee disclosures,
  • Investigate and manage disclosures, reprisals, and threats of reprisals,
  • Complete your entity’s mandatory reporting requirements to the Office of the Public Interest Commissioner on behalf of your chief officer,
  • Keep your chief officer fully informed with recent developments in the Act and Regulations that affect the entity, and
  • Represent your entity in a professional and unbiased manner.

Contact Clarium Fraud & Compliance Solutions today to discuss your whistleblower program and protection requirements.