Alberta has the highest occupational licensing burden in Canada; little evidence to suggest it actually improves safety

VANCOUVER—Alberta has the highest provincial occupational licensing burden in Canada, according to a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

The Provincial Occupational Licensing Index, 2026 introduces the first comprehensive index of occupational licensing across Canada’s provinces, finding that Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario license the most professions, whereas Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador license the fewest professions.