The True Post (Web News)The Alberta government has quietly released draft regulations for its proposed “no-fault auto insurance system,” drawing sharp criticism from legal experts and public advocacy groups. The main point of contention is a clause setting standardized compensation for all physical injuries, regardless of individual circumstances.
The draft, titled the Permanent Injury Regulation, was issued just before Thanksgiving weekend. It outlines compensation amounts based on a government-prepared chart for example, $56,717 for the loss of one eye, $41,592 for partial hand loss, and $18,906 for miscarriage after 20 weeks. Critics have dubbed it a “meat chart,” saying it reduces human suffering to dollar figures.
Fred Litwiniuk, Chief Growth Officer at Litco Law, called the plan “shockingly inhumane,” noting that injuries affect people differently a musician losing a hand faces far greater loss than an office worker. The no-fault model, he said, erases personal context and fairness present in the current system.
Under the proposal, insurance companies would still decide whether an injury is deemed “permanent,” meaning fixed payouts aren’t guaranteed. Litwiniuk argued such a fundamental policy shift should require public referendum.
Responding to criticism, the Alberta government clarified that while the draft doesn’t list specific dollar amounts, it does introduce a pre-set compensation framework, modeled after systems in British Columbia and Manitoba. The payout would be calculated by multiplying a defined impairment percentage by a maximum government-set benefit.
