AI-assisted research summary: The Minister must prepare an annual report on criminal justice data and information, lay it before the Legislative Assembly, and publish it on the department website. The Minister may also enter agreements, require certain bodies to provide data, and collect, use, and disclose data subject to the Act and regulations.
PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW ACT Chapter P‑47 Table of Contents 1 Definitions 2 Purposes 3 Report 4 Agreements 4.1 Requiring data and information 5 Collection, use and disclosure of data and information 6 Publication of report 7 Regulations 8 Coming into force HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows: Definitions 1 In this Act, (a) “Minister” means the Minister determined under section 16 of the Government Organization Act as the Minister responsible for this Act; (b) “personal information” means personal information as defined in the Protection of Privacy Act ; (c) “report” means a report prepared under section 3. 2022 cP-47 s1;AR 141/2025 Purposes 2 The purposes of this Act are (a) to increase transparency and accountability with respect to the criminal justice system in Alberta, (b) to help Albertans better understand the criminal justice system in Alberta, and (c) to ensure Albertans have information about the safety of their communities. Report 3 (1) The Minister shall prepare a report respecting data and information relating to the criminal justice system in Alberta, including data and information in respect of the year immediately preceding the year in which the report is prepared, that the Minister considers necessary or advisable to carry out the purposes of this Act. (2) A report under subsection (1) must be prepared at least once per year. Agreements 4 For the purposes of preparing a report, the Minister may enter into an agreement with any of the following bodies for the provision of data and information to the Minister by that body: (a) another department, branch or agency of the Government of Alberta; (b) the Court of Justice, Court of King’s Bench or Court of Appeal; (c) the Government of Canada; (d) the government of another province or territory; (e) a municipality as defined in the Municipal Government Act ; (f) a council of a band as defined in the Indian Act (Canada); (g) a police service as defined in the Police Act . 2022 cP-47 s4;AR 217/2022;AR 75/2023 Requiring data and information 4.1 (1) Subject to the regulations, if any, the Minister may require a body to provide the Minister with data and information that the Minister considers necessary to prepare a report if (a) there is no agreement between the Minister and that body under section 4, or (b) the agreement between the Minister and that body under section 4 does not require the provision of data and information the Minister considers necessary to prepare the report. (2) The body shall provide the required data and information to the Minister as soon as practicable and in accordance with the regulations, if any. (3) This section applies to the following bodies only: (a) another department, branch or agency of the Government of Alberta; (b) a municipality as defined in the Municipal Government Act ; (c) as defined in the Police Act , (i) a regional police service, (ii) a municipal police service, or (iii) an independent agency police service. 2024 c17 s4 Collection, use and disclosure of data and information 5 For the purposes of preparing and publishing a report, the Minister may (a) collect and use data and information, including personal information, and (b) subject to the regulations, disclose data and information, including personal information from which the identity of the person who is the subject of the personal information cannot readily be ascertained. Publication of report 6 (1) The Minister shall lay a copy of a report before the Legislative Assembly as soon as practicable if the Legislative Assembly is sitting or, if it is not sitting, within 15 days after the commencement of the next sitting. (2) The Minister shall publish the report on the website of the Minister’s department within 30 days after it is laid before the Legislative Assembly. Regulations 7 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations (a) respecting the preparation and publication of reports, including the frequency and timing of reports; (b) respecting the data and information in respect of which reports must be prepared; (c) respecting the provision of data and information by municipalities or police services to the Minister; (d) respecting the disclosure of data and information by the Minister, including the exclusion of data and information from reports; (e) respecting data and information required by the Minister under section 4.1, including the type and format of data and information and the method by which and the period within which data and information must be provided to the Minister. 2022 cP-47 s7;2024 c17 s4 Coming into force 8 This Act comes into force on Proclamation. (NOTE: Proclaimed in force February 15, 2023.)