Institutions Regulation Modernization

The Institutions Regulation aims to prevent injury and the spread of disease in licensed child and adult care facilities by outlining maintenance and operations requirements for the facilities and associated grounds.  

The Institutions Regulation was created in 1981 under the Public Health Act and was last updated in 2003. Updating the Institutions Regulation will improve practices at applicable care settings and will address identified issues. The Government of Alberta is investigating potential changes to the Institutions Regulation such as, but not limited to: 

• Considering which child and adult care program facilities the regulation should apply to.

• Updating definitions and requirements that are outdated, addressed in other legislation, duplicative, or no longer necessary.

• Clarifying requirements and the intent of the regulation.

• Reviewing health and safety requirements to align with current standards.

• Reviewing what food handling and food safety requirements in the Institutions Regulation might be integrated in the Food Regulation.

The government is considering updates to the Institutions Regulation to reflect an approach that emphasizes the achievement of specific outcomes, rather than listing specific requirements to meet that outcome. This approach will recognize operator differences and give them more flexibility to meet the needs of those in their program or facility. Additionally, the government is considering updating the regulation to focus on identifying, assessing and reducing risks. If implemented, guideline document(s) could be developed that operators can reference as a framework for practice, where appropriate, to support them in achieving outcome-based requirements. 

An updated regulation could clarify or expand its application to the following programs and services that provide care regulated by the Government of Alberta: 

• Child care programs operating under the Early Learning and Child Care Act (except Centre for Newcomers programs). This includes child care programs being offered or provided under the former regulations as a group family child care program or an innovative child care program. 

• Emergency shelters under the Shelter Accommodations Expectations guidelines. 

• Child care programs operating under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (except kinship care and foster homes). 

• Child and adult care residential addiction treatment services programs under the Mental Health Services Protection Act. 

• Child care programs operating under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act. 

• Early Childhood Services (ECS) programs, charter schools and private schools operating under the Education Act.