Issue

The Government of Alberta regulates the Registry Agent Network (RAN) by capping fees for most of the services it provides. In addition, Registry Agents are eager to develop a modernization plan to enhance services, including online registry services to Albertans in conjunction with Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction and other stakeholders. The Government of Alberta should support these modernization efforts and review regulations to ensure Alberta Registry Agents can continue their vital work effectively.

Background

Alberta’s Authorized Registry Agents form a network that collectively employs over 1,500 Albertans. There are 217 Agents located in 150 Alberta communities (58 or 27% are in Calgary and Edmonton, 48 or 22% are in small municipalities, and 111 or 51% are in rural municipalities). Registries are a vital part of Albertan communities in providing economic growth, stable jobs, important community links, and essential services.

Albertans value registry services and continue to take advantage of the ease of access offered by local registry agents. In survey findings, 74% of respondents have visited a registry agent in the last year. Furthermore, over 90% of respondents emphasized the importance of having access to registry services in their communities and felt that it would negatively affect their communities if their local Registry Agent were to close.1

As registry services modernize to meet the needs of our society, Albertans must continue to have equal access to quality in-person registry services, regardless of where they live in the province. A healthy industry ensures ongoing service to Albertans throughout the province at an affordable price. Thirteen registry offices have closed since 2019, and many more communities are at risk of losing their local registry. An independent third-party audit found that registry agents who have an annual volume of 10,000 transactions or less are operating at a loss, which represents sixty-four registries. The sustainability issue is not exclusive to rural areas; it significantly impacts urban agents who lack the capital to address increasing wait times and inflationary operational costs, including labour, with registry agents facing a substantial 60% employee turnover rate because they cannot compete with current wages in similar industries.

Unlike other similar provincially regulated industries, there is no regular mechanism to review government-capped registry service fees. For the registry agent network to position itself to serve the diverse needs of all Albertans, it is essential that a fee review model be put in place that includes regular, predictable reviews of capped service charges to provide financial stability and long-term assurance of sustainability. Between 2005 and 2020, registry agents received no increases to capped service fees despite increased cost pressures. A static capped fee restricts registry agents from keeping pace with natural operational increases and limits the amount of capital that can be reinvested into businesses in order to expand and modernize their delivery models in a variety of settings.

A combination of rural, urban, online, and in-person delivery models offered by Registry Agents is needed to provide Albertans with services for over 200 products on behalf of five government departments. To ensure that registry agents are equipped and can work effectively and efficiently, government support is crucial. A modern and viable business model needs to be developed to guarantee that the levels of service and access are not only maintained but also expanded to reflect the dynamic nature of the industry. Additionally, the Government of Alberta is still in direct competition with Registry Agents for some online services, like traffic fines.

Other organizations also see the value in a new fee review model and in modernizing the industry to ensure the continuation of the high level of service that Albertans have come to expect from their Registry Agents. In 2016, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) passed a resolution recognizing the “vital role and positive impact that ARAs have in Alberta communities” and recommended the Government of Alberta negotiate a new fee structure and protect ARAs revenue streams.3

The Government of Alberta responded on January 1, 20204 by increasing capped fees only on certain services for the first time in 14 years. However, these changes alone, without a long-term sustainability plan, do not ensure a sustainable business model and the expansion of services for Registry agents, nor do they provide the support necessary to modernize the Registry Agent Industry. The Government of Alberta should recognize the vital role of Registry Agents in delivering essential government services to all Albertans, particularly their positive impact in rural Alberta communities, and work to strengthen its partnership with the Association of Alberta Registry Agents and local municipalities.

In the spring of 2024, the Government of Alberta established the Registry Agent Public Advisory Panel to review the sustainability of Registry Agents. The final recommendations of this panel were formally submitted to the Minister on October 31, 2024.

Despite this, none of the recommendations have been implemented to date. This lack of action is particularly concerning given that the government proceeded with its own increase in some registry services effective October 1, 2025, without addressing a fee increase for registry agents.

While the government has allocated funds for system modernization, the extent of its partnership with Registry Agents is unclear. The industry continues to push strongly for inclusion in modernization efforts from the outset to ensure new systems are innovative, efficient, and cost-effective.

Recommendations

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce, along with the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, recommends the Government of Alberta:

1. Implement a sustainable fee model and guarantee a service charge adjustment to ensure the financial viability of Registry Agents, thereby ensuring Albertans’ and businesses’ access to essential government services in their communities.

2. Partner directly with registry agents to modernize registry systems and services, ensuring that Albertans continue to receive innovative, efficient, and affordable service delivery.

Resources

1. Couillard, C. (2019, April 16). Opinion: Registry-agent services under threat by rising costs. Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-registry-agent-services-under-threat-by-rising-costs
2. Alberta Municipalities (2016). Sustainable Support for Local Registry Agents. https://www.abmunis.ca/resolution/sustainable-support-local-registry-agents
3. Government of Alberta. (2019). Fiscal Plan: A plan for jobs and the economy 2019-23. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/3d732c88-68b0-4328-9e52-5d3273527204/resource/2b82a075-f8c2-4586-a2d8-3ce8528a24e1/download/budget-2019-fiscal-plan-2019-23.pdf

Date Approved: May 2017
Date Amended: March 18, 2020, December 2025, February 2026
Date Renewed: May 2020, May 2023, December 2025, March 18, 2026