Alberta farmers believe farm safety and stewardship form key components of their operations and way of life and are longstanding contributors to Alberta’s economic growth. Producers and the agri-business community understand the need for strong farm safety practices in all of their operations and support a collaborative approach with government and other stakeholders in this important endeavor. However, many have questions with respect to the proposed changes to farm worker legislation and regulations in Alberta.

QUESTIONS REGARDING ALBERTA’S FARM WORKER LEGISLATION - WCB• What policy objective is the government trying to achieve by including farmers in mandatory Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) registration?

• Does the legislation account for the unique aspects of farm life and that a one-size-fits-all coverage model may not suit all producers? Does it account for many producers carrying private insurance comparable to existing WCB coverage?

• Does the provincial government understand how the implementation of this legislation could impact more than 63,000 farmers in Alberta?

• Does the proposed legislation account for an individual from a farm family who would not be eligible to benefit from the legislation as they are casually or temporarily employed?

• Will the government include a number of stakeholders from both producer groups and their representatives to ensure the regulations are well considered and minimize the adverse impact of changes on farming operations?

MNP’S RESPONSE TO THE FARM WORKER LEGISLATION• Completed a detailed review to determine consequences of the Bill;

• Immediately contacted the Alberta premier’s office and many ministers to raise concerns over costs and administrative burden of implementation;

• Arranged and attended meeting with the WCB in Edmonton to discuss our clients concerns;

• Utilized our MNP Government Affairs expert to guide us through the political process;

• Attended all public consultation meetings;

• Attended meetings in the Legislature in Edmonton with the Deputy Minister of Jobs, Skills Training, and Labour and other senior officials within the government of Alberta. We are in the process of organizing additional meetings with the department moving forward;

• Had a conference call with a deputy minister in December to initiate further discussions regarding the Amendments, and

• Demonstrated our passionate interest and reached out to other agricultural stakeholders and representative groups to make our point.

Agriculture in Alberta

FACTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE IN ALBERTA:• Alberta farmers and ranchers contribute about one third of the agriculture production of Canada.

• There are more than 43,000 farms and ranches of various sizes and types, from Cardston to Hay River.

• Alberta is the leading producer of grain and canola in Canada. More than five million cattle are raised in Alberta or used for dairy production in any given year.

• Alberta controls nearly half the total beef production and export market in Canada.

• Farming and agricultural operations in Alberta contributed $79 billion both directly and indirectly to the Canadian economy in 2012.

• The agricultural community in Alberta is composed of everything from unincorporated family farms, sole proprietorships, multi-family and Hutterian Brethren farms, to greenhouse operations and large commercial farming operations.

• Agriculture and agri-business in small- and medium-sized communities across Alberta continue to provide the foundation of values Albertans embrace and continue to be a vibrant part of the socio-economic fabric of Alberta.

MNP.ca

ALBERTA

LethbridgeMedicine Hat

Calgary

Red DeerLacombe

DrumhellerAirdrie

LeducEdmonton

Fort McMurray

Grande Prairie

Peace River

Rimbey

Taber

Stettler

Headquartered in Alberta, MNP is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting firm for Canada’s agriculture industry. We have invested more time and resources than any other firm into understanding agriculture and all its varied sectors, from primary producers and livestock operators through to food and beverage processors. With 8,500 agriculture clients in Alberta - out of more than 15,000 agriculture clients across Canada - and a team of over 600 agriculture specialists, MNP delivers a diverse suite of services to protect farmers and maximize results.

For more information, contact:

Bruce Tait, Senior Vice President, Agriculture Services T: 403.380.1623 E: bruce.tait@mnp.ca

Scott Dickson, CA, Director, Livestock Services T: 403.356.1250 E: scott.dickson@mnp.ca

MNP AND AGRICULTURE CLIENTS