MLA for Central Peace Notely and Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen. Photo courtesy Todd Loewen Facebook.

By Erika Rolling

Provincial Politics

Minister Loewen tasked by premier to focus on growing economy, trade, and creating jobs

Sep 17, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Premier Danielle Smith has sent Central Peace-Notley MLA and Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen a letter, tasking him with promoting the province’s industries to drive investment, create jobs, and prosperity for the people who call Alberta home.

Loewen was one of four ministers who received mandate letters from the Premier’s office this week.

Smith said in a release, “A resilient and diversified economy is one of our top priorities and what Albertans expect from their government. We are creating the conditions for workers and industries in Alberta to keep growing – by supporting investments where they are needed and reducing barriers that stifle innovation and expansion.”

The premier acknowledged the work Loewen’s ministry has accomplished in his role, such as:

• Reducing and eliminating backlogs by streamlining the process for public land disposition approvals and renewals
• Expanding trail systems in the province, with help from the publication of the 2025 Public Land Trail Guide
• Modernizing the Wildlife Act to update wildlife management practices, hunting and trapping practices, supporting accessibility for hunters with disabilities, as well as streamlining enforcement.
• Reframed the Rangeland Grazing Framework with stakeholders to guide sustained health and biodiversity of the province’s grasslands, with nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration

Smith asks Loewen to work with his cabinet and caucus colleagues and public service through the committee, cabinet, and legislative process to deliver on nine different items.

Some of those items include:

• Advancing wildfire mitigation efforts throughout Alberta with proactive and strategic forest harvesting, public education, and expanded FireSmart/fireguard programs.
• Work on an agreement with the federal government to improve wildfire mitigation across federal lands, with a focus on joint forest fire prevention and response strategy for Banff, Jasper, and Waterton National Parks
• Develop a proposal alongside the Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration for a value-added tax incentive program for value-added forestry products (similar to the agri-food tax credit for the government’s consideration)
• Ensure healthy populations are maintained with a common-sense approach for fish and game management and based on ecological and scientific standpoints
• Use active forestry management techniques to maintain the biodiversity of forests in Alberta’s forest and park and provide nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration
• Build over 900 new campsites by 2033, including over 300 of those to be in place by 2027

Loewen responded to the letter in a social media post saying; “My new mandate letter from Premier Danielle Smith for the Ministry of Forestry and Parks will ensure that our backyard remains prosperous for future generations.”

To read the entire mandate letter to Loewen, click here.