The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. Since 2012 the Legislative Assembly has had 87 members, elected through first past the post from single-member electoral districts. Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Alberta, as the viceregal representative of the King of Canada.. The Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor together make up the unicameral Alberta Legislature.
The maximum period between general elections of the assembly, as set by Section 4 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is five years, which is further reinforced in Alberta's Legislative Assembly Act. Convention dictates the premier controls the date of election and usually selects a date in the fourth or fifth year after the preceding election. Amendments to Alberta's Election Act introduced in 2024 fixed the date of election to the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year following the preceding election. Alberta has never had a minority government and an election as a result of a vote of no confidence has never occurred.
To be a candidate for election to the assembly, a person must be a Canadian citizen older than 18 who has lived in Alberta for at least six months before the election and has registered with Elections Alberta under the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act. Senators, senators-in-waiting, members of the House of Commons, and criminal inmates are ineligible.
The 30th Alberta Legislature was dissolved on May 1, 2023. The members-elect of the 31st Alberta Legislature were elected on May 29. , under recall election legislation introduced by the UCP, 2 MLAs have recall petition campaigns in progress.
History
The first session of the first Legislature of Alberta opened on March 15, 1906, in the Thistle Rink, Edmonton, north of Jasper Avenue. After the speech from the throne, the assembly held its sessions in the McKay Avenue School. In this school Alberta MLAs chose the provincial capital, Edmonton, and the future site for the Alberta Legislature Building: the bank of the North Saskatchewan River. Allan Merrick Jeffers, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design was the architect who was chosen to build the assembly building. From 1908 to 1911 the Legislative Assembly met in a hall annexed to the old Terrace Building.Macauley, 75th Anniversary of Alberta's Legislative Building http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?art=735¶m=122. accessed April 16, 2025Terrace Building, Edmonton, Alberta https://hermis.alberta.ca/paa/PhotoGalleryDetails.aspx?st=edmonton&cp=257&ReturnUrl=%2Fpaa%2FSearch.aspx%3Fst%3Dedmonton%26cp%3D257&dv=True&DeptID=1&ObjectID=A5676
In September 1912 Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Governor General of Canada, declared the new Legislature building officially open.
Louise McKinney and Roberta MacAdams were the first women elected to the assembly, in the 1917 election, the first women in any legislature of the British Empire.
From 1926 to 1955, Edmonton and Calgary MLAs were elected through a form of proportional representation, while in that period, the other MLAs were elected using instant-runoff voting.
In 1965, the Alberta Election Act was amended to give the vote to Treaty Indians.A Report on Alberta Elections, 1905–1982, p. 9
Early majorities in the Legislature were held by the Alberta Liberal Party, followed by the United Farmers of Alberta and Alberta Social Credit Party. The Progressive Conservatives held the legislature from 1971 until 2015, when the Alberta New Democratic Party held a majority for a single term. Since 2019, the United Conservative Party has held successive majorities.
Current members Most members of the 31st Alberta Legislature were elected in the 31st Alberta general election held on May 29, 2023, but some were elected in subsequent by-elections. Peter Guthrie was elected as a UCP candidate but has since become a Progressive Tory. Bold indicates cabinet members, and party leaders are italicized.
MemberPartyElectoral districtFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsProgressive ToryAirdrie-Cochrane20192nd termUnited ConservativeAirdrie-East20153rd termUnited ConservativeAthabasca-Barrhead-Westlock20153rd termNew DemocraticBanff-Kananaskis20231st termUnited ConservativeBonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul2015, 20232nd term*United ConservativeBrooks-Medicine Hat2012, 20223rd term*New DemocraticCalgary-Acadia20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Beddington20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Bhullar-McCall20153rd termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Bow20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-Buffalo20153rd termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Cross20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-Currie20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-East20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-Edgemont20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Elbow20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Falconridge20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Fish Creek20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Foothills20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Glenmore20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Hays20124th termNew DemocraticCalgary-Klein20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Lougheed20231st termNew DemocraticCalgary-Mountain View20153rd termUnited ConservativeCalgary-North20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-North East20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-North West20192nd termUnited ConservativeCalgary-Peigan20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-Shaw20261st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-South East20192nd termNew DemocraticCalgary-Varsity20231st termUnited ConservativeCalgary-West20144th termUnited ConservativeCamrose20192nd termUnited ConservativeCardston-Siksika20192nd termUnited ConservativeCentral Peace-Notley20192nd termUnited ConservativeChestermere-Strathmore20231st termUnited ConservativeCypress-Medicine Hat20231st termUnited ConservativeDrayton Valley-Devon20231st termUnited ConservativeDrumheller-Stettler20192nd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Beverly-Clareview20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Castle Downs20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-City Centre20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Decore20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Ellerslie20251st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Glenora20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Gold Bar20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Highlands-Norwood20192nd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Manning20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-McClung20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Meadows20192nd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Mill Woods20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-North West2004, 20125th term*New DemocraticEdmonton-Riverview20153rd termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Rutherford20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-South20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-South West20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Strathcona20251st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-West Henday20231st termNew DemocraticEdmonton-Whitemud20192nd termUnited ConservativeFort McMurray-Lac La Biche2015, 20223rd term*United ConservativeFort McMurray-Wood Buffalo20153rd termUnited ConservativeFort Saskatchewan-Vegreville20192nd termUnited ConservativeGrande Prairie20231st termUnited ConservativeGrande Prairie-Wapiti20231st termUnited ConservativeHighwood20192nd termUnited ConservativeInnisfail-Sylvan Lake20183rd termUnited ConservativeLac Ste. Anne-Parkland20192nd termUnited ConservativeLacombe-Ponoka20231st termUnited ConservativeLeduc-Beaumont20231st termUnited ConservativeLesser Slave Lake20231st termUnited ConservativeLethbridge-East20192nd termNew DemocraticLethbridge-West20241st termUnited ConservativeLivingstone-Macleod20231st termUnited ConservativeMaskwacis-Wetaskiwin20192nd termUnited ConservativeMorinville-St. Albert20192nd termUnited ConservativeOlds-Didsbury-Three Hills20251st termUnited ConservativePeace River20192nd termUnited ConservativeRed Deer-North20192nd termUnited ConservativeRed Deer-South20192nd termUnited ConservativeRimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre20153rd termNew DemocraticSherwood Park20231st termUnited ConservativeSpruce Grove-Stony Plain20192nd termNew DemocraticSt. Albert20153rd termUnited ConservativeStrathcona-Sherwood Park20192nd termUnited ConservativeTaber-Warner20153rd termUnited ConservativeVermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright20192nd termUnited ConservativeWest Yellowhead20192nd term
Standings during 31st Assembly The 31st Alberta Legislative Assembly was constituted after the general election on May 29, 2023. The United Conservative Party, led by incumbent Premier Danielle Smith, formed the government with a reduced majority. The New Democrats, led by former Premier Rachel Notley, won the second most seats and formed the official opposition. , under recall election legislation introduced by the UCP, 21 MLAs have recall petition campaigns in progress; this includes Premier Danielle Smith. 20 of the petitions are against UCP members.
+ Standings in the 31st Alberta LegislatureAffiliationMembers2023 general electionCurrent49473839010000Total seats87
Seating plan Party leaders are italicized. Bold indicates cabinet minister.
Past Composition 1905–1909 23 2 Lib Con 1909–1913 36 2 1 1 1 Lib Con Soc Ind Ind Lib 1913–1917 39 17 Lib Con 1917–1921 34 19 2 1 Lib Con NPL Lab Rep 1921–1926 15 1 38 4 3 Lib Con UFA DLP Ind 1926–1930 7 4 43 5 1 Lib Con UFA DLP Ind Lab 1930–1935 11 6 39 4 3 Lib Con UFA DLP Ind 1935–1940 5 2 56 Lib Con Soc Cred 1940–1944 1 1 36 19 Lib Lab Soc Cred Ind Mov 1944–1948 51 3 2 1 3 Soc Cred CAF Co-op VAF Ind Mov 1948–1952 2 51 2 1 1 Lib Soc Cred Co-op ICA Ind Soc Cred 1952–1955 3 1 1 53 2 1 Lib Con PC Soc Cred Co-op Ind Soc Cred 1955–1959 15 2 37 2 1 1 1 Lib Con Soc Cred Co-op Lib-Con Coal Ind Soc Cred 1959–1963 1 1 61 1 1 Lib PC Soc Cred Coal Ind Soc Cred 1963–1967 2 60 1 Lib Soc Cred Coal 1967–1971 3 6 55 1 Lib PC Soc Cred Ind 1971–1975 49 25 1 PC Soc Cred NDP 1975–1979 69 4 1 1 PC Soc Cred NDP Ind Soc Cred 1979–1982 74 4 1 PC Soc Cred NDP 1982–1986 75 2 2 PC NDP Ind 1986–1989 4 61 16 2 Lib PC NDP Rep 1989–1993 8 59 16 Lib PC NDP 1993–1997 32 51 Lib PC 1997–2001 18 63 2 Lib PC NDP 2001–2004 7 74 2 Lib PC NDP 2004–2008 16 62 4 1 Lib PC NDP AA 2008–2012 9 72 2 Lib PC NDP 2012–2015 5 61 4 17 Lib PC NDP WR 2015–2019 1 9 54 21 1 Lib PC NDP WR AP 2019–2023 63 24 UC NDP 2023–Present 49 38 UC NDP Notes
References
External links Legislative Assembly of Alberta web site Legislative Assembly of Alberta history – Citizens guide Canadian Governments Compared Legislative Assembly of Alberta – History