Alberta government again shifting expense disclosure policy after widespread backlash

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government is again shifting its expense disclosure policy after critics from across the political spectrum accused her of dodging responsibility.

In early August, the province quietly published new rules axing a requirement for Smith, her ministers, senior staff and deputy ministers to publicly post receipts for expenses over $100.

Marisa Breeze, press secretary to Finance Minister Nate Horner, said in a Tuesday email that cabinet has directed Horner to see that the previous expense posting policy is reinstated — but with a tweak.

“Cabinet recognized the importance of an expense posting policy that achieves both security and transparency,” she said.

Breeze said the exact location of accommodations like hotels will be redacted on receipts posted online to ensure the security of elected members and staff.

It comes after the premier, facing heated questions at an Edmonton town hall last week, said the change caught her off guard – but was made for safety reasons.

“There are a number of my ministers who go to the same hotels when they’re frequenting different municipalities, and they just wanted the name of the hotel redacted, just in case people were tracking them down,” Smith said.

“That was what the policy was supposed to be. It turned out to be something quite different.”

The move to stop posting expensive receipts sparked wide criticism.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation said it was baffling and a bad look for Smith’s government.

“This makes it look like the Alberta government has some expenses to hide from taxpayers, the people who are paying the bills,” the federation’s Alberta director, Kris Sims, said in a statement last week.

She wasn’t alone in calling for a reversal.

The Opposition NDP called the change “shameful” and accused it of being a clear attempt by the United Conservative government to hide spending.

“It’s entitled, and it’s the exact opposite of being open and transparent,” NDP house leader Christina Gray said in a statement last week.

“Our province deserves nothing less than an ethical, transparent and competent government. Right now, Albertans are getting the complete opposite.”

The province’s information and privacy commissioner, Diane McLeod, also has been critical of the move, telling media that the change diminished transparency.

Smith’s former infrastructure minister, Peter Guthrie, who was booted from the UCP caucus earlier this year, said on social media last week the government was “shielding their irresponsible use of Albertans’ tax dollars from scrutiny.”

Guthrie also said Smith was being evasive with her explanation.

“Smith dodged responsibility, blaming cabinet — claiming it was MLAs who wanted to conceal receipts ‘for safety reasons,'” he wrote.

“As a former cabinet member, I know this: under the Smith-Anderson duo-cracy, nothing moves without their permission,” he said, referring to Smith’s chief of staff, Rob Anderson.

“This premier grabs credit when things go right and skirts blame when they don’t,” Guthrie added.

Gray said if Smith is going to reverse the policy change, she should also republish the eight years of past expense reports the government recently took off its website, as first reported by the CBC.

That demand was echoed by Sims on social media as reports of the government’s move trickled out without a formal announcement late Tuesday afternoon.

“It has to be fully reversed,” Sims wrote.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press