Open the bids.
When government contracts go to insiders instead of the best bid, that's corruption, and your family pays for it. We're building a citizen initiative for an independent Procurement Integrity Commissioner for Alberta.
Your taxes. Your services. Your watchdog.
One question for Albertans
It doesn't matter which party is in power. Money lost to bad contracts is money that should be in our schools and hospitals, and it needs an independent watchdog.
“The Government of Alberta shall enact legislation establishing an independent Procurement Integrity Commissioner as an Officer of the Legislature, with authority to investigate and publicly report on public body contracting and to compel documents and testimony; and requiring public disclosure within 30 days of every government contract of $75,000 or more, including the procurement method used and the beneficial ownership of the vendor.”
Our proposed citizen initiative question
- IndependentAn Officer of the Legislature who reports to the Legislature and the public, not to a minister.
- Real powersCan investigate public body contracting and compel documents and testimony.
- Every big contract, publicAny contract of $75,000 or more disclosed within 30 days, including how it was awarded and who really owns the vendor.
Where the money went
Tap a category to see every line item. Tap a line item for the details.
Over $1 billion in insider deals, no-bid contracts, and an agenda nobody voted for. One billion reasons this needs to stop.
Every figure is drawn from Auditor General reports, court filings, or named reporting, compiled September 2026. Where two figures might overlap, the low estimate assumes full overlap and the high assumes none. Excludes $33B in private renewable-sector investment (never government money) and up to $12B in unsettled coal lawsuit claims (not yet paid). Allegations are labelled as such. RCMP and Auditor General investigations into AHS procurement remain active as of August 2026; no charges have been laid.
This already works elsewhere
- Canada's federal Procurement OmbudArm's length from the department whose contracts it reviews.Since 2008
- US federal Inspectors GeneralIndependent watchdogs inside agencies like Veterans Affairs and Social Security.$6 to $35 back per $1
- Massachusetts Inspector GeneralProcurement training and certification for public buyers since 1996.25,000+ trained
Alberta doesn't have anything like it.
How this happens
Alberta's Citizen Initiative Act pauses every initiative for 12 months before and after a general election. The next election is October 18, 2027, so here is the real path.
- October 2026We go publicNotice of Intent with Elections Alberta, and the start of building support across the province.
- Oct 2026 to Oct 2028Election blackoutNo initiative can be filed. We keep making the case, so Albertans are ready when the window opens.
- October 19, 2028Application filedAbout two weeks for Elections Alberta review and public notice.
- 120 daysSignature collectionIn person, original signatures, collected by registered canvassers. The target is 10% of votes cast in 2027, roughly 175,000 to 180,000 signatures.
- 21 daysVerificationElections Alberta verifies the signatures.
- Spring 2029Before the LegislatureIf the petition succeeds, the proposal must be laid before the Legislative Assembly.
Questions we hear
Isn't this just more government bureaucracy?
An independent commissioner doesn't add red tape. It acts like an external auditor, catching backroom deals before school and hospital funds disappear.
Won't politicians just ignore or control them?
Unlike current internal panels, this commissioner reports directly to the public and the Legislative Assembly, not to the Premier or a minister.
How does this actually help emergency rooms or classrooms?
When contracts go to insiders instead of the best bid, that's money that should have gone to nurses and teachers, not corporate profit.
Isn't corruption impossible to stop anyway?
This isn't untested. Canada's federal Procurement Ombud has done this since 2008, and independent US federal watchdogs return $6 to $35 for every dollar they cost. Alberta doesn't have anything like it.
Charter schools are public schools. Why are they in here?
Charter schools don't charge tuition, but like private schools, they can be selective about who they admit. Regular public schools have to take everyone. When capital dollars go to the schools that get to pick, and not the ones that can't, that's a choice about who Alberta invests in.
When can I sign?
Signing opens after the election blackout ends in late 2028. Signatures must be collected in person by registered canvassers, so join the list below and we'll tell you when and where.
Signing opens in late 2028. Help now.
Every Albertan who knows where the money went is one more signature waiting to happen.