Alberta’s Bill 37 was introduced on October 21, 2020 The Builders Lien (Prompt Payment) Amendment Act 2020, it was to introduce timelines and rules for payments and liens in all construction industry sectors, ensuring contractors and subcontractors are paid on time.
The Builders’ Lien (Prompt Payment) Amendment Act, 2020 passed second reading on Oct. 28, 2020. A few days later, on November 4, a motion to amend Bill 37 (known as Amendment A1) was carried, resulting in changes to the bill’s prompt payment sections which now mirror the prompt payment language contained in Ontario’s Construction Act, and incorporate a cascading payment process once payment is made by the owner to the general contractor. If the bill passes, the government expects the minister to appoint authorized nominating authorities by April 2021 and for those authorities to appoint adjudicators a month later.