Alberta government tables bill to end DEI public sector hiring

EDMONTON – Alberta is looking to end public sector hiring practices aimed at diversity, equity and inclusion.

A government bill tabled Tuesday, if passed, would prohibit a number of public bodies from using DEI policies to make hiring decisions.

Premier Danielle Smith said hiring needs to be based on merit and qualifications so that everyone has a fair chance at getting jobs.

“Public institutions should remain focused on their core responsibilities and serving Albertans,” Smith said in a statement.

“Hiring decisions should be about who is best qualified for the job, and these changes will help ensure that fairness is at the heart of hiring.”

The bill covers public agencies, Crown corporations, post-secondary schools, school boards and municipalities. However, government officials said provincial employees are already hired based on merit.

They also said the change could apply to non-profit agencies receiving government grants, but that would be determined through future regulations.

They said there would be some exceptions to the prohibition but didn’t provide examples.

The proposed legislation would further prohibit public bodies from having mandatory DEI training for staff, except when necessary for the job. Other mandatory training would be required to be “ideologically neutral” and focus on job duties and skills.

The bill, tabled by Justice Minister Mickey Amery, specifically targets the Alberta Human Rights Act.

The government said it’s changing a section of the act that allows for policies and programs aiming to uplift those who may be disadvantaged because of their race, disability, gender or gender expression, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age or other personal circumstance, including marital status.

Officials said hiring and promotion practices would continue to be subject to other protections or provisions under the act.

It’s not the first time Smith’s United Conservative Party government has cracked down on DEI policies. 

Last year, it passed legislation prohibiting professional regulatory bodies, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, from making members undergo training around diversity initiatives.

That legislation also limits what behaviour regulatory bodies can police their members on. The government said at the time that it was inspired by Ontario psychologist and social media personality Jordan Peterson, who was sanctioned by his province’s professional regulator for controversial public statements.

Amery’s bill also aims to make changes to other provincial laws, including added penalties for the distribution or threat of distribution of digitally altered intimate images without consent.

While the issue is mainly a federal Criminal Code matter, Alberta has laws that allow residents to take civil court action.

The bill aims to capture other types of content, including audio recordings, livestreams and images created using artificial intelligence.

The government said those who violate the law could face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. It also said the bill would allow the courts to give community service sentences.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2026.