Alberta Prompt Payment & Construction Lien Act
Alberta's prompt-payment and adjudication framework lives in the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act (PPCLA), in force since August 29, 2022. Alberta has no deemed-proper-invoice rule, so getting each invoice right the first time matters even more, and its lien windows differ by trade.
Tiercord applies the PPCLA day-counts and citations to your Alberta projects and routes adjudications to the province's nominating authority.
Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act
RSA 2000, c. P-26.4
August 29, 2022
Operative today
ARCANA (AB) and ADACC
Alberta prompt-payment deadlines at a glance
Each clock below runs from the event its own section names, computed in Alberta's local time with statutory rollover for the province's holidays. Every row cites the section it comes from, where the province has one.
| Clock | Value | Statute |
|---|---|---|
Owner payment due Days from a proper invoice until the owner must pay or deliver a notice of non-payment. AB PPCLA Section 32.2 | 28 days | AB PPCLA Section 32.2 |
Notice of non-payment window Window to dispute an invoice. Miss it and the amount is generally payable in full. AB PPCLA Section 32.2 | 14 days | AB PPCLA Section 32.2 |
Deemed-proper review window This province has no deemed-proper-invoice provision. | No statutory rule | Not applicable |
Pay your subcontractors After being paid, days to pass payment down to subcontractors. AB PPCLA Section 32.3 | 7 days | AB PPCLA Section 32.3 |
Pay subs even if unpaid If the owner has not paid, subs must still be paid by this day when you are the contractor billing the owner, or 42 days when you are a subcontractor paying your own subcontractor, or the matter referred to adjudication. AB PPCLA Section 32.3 | 35 days | AB PPCLA Section 32.3 |
Undertaking to adjudicate When refusing to pass payment down, the payer must undertake to refer the dispute to adjudication within this window. AB PPCLA Section 32.3 | 21 days | AB PPCLA Section 32.3 |
Adjudication referral window Time to refer a dispute to adjudication, counted from the final payment on the contract rather than from completion. AB PPCLA Section 33.4 | 30 days after final payment | AB PPCLA Section 33.4 |
Adjudicator determination Days for the adjudicator to issue a binding determination after receiving the claimant's documents. AB PPCLA Section 33.6 / PPAR Section 26 | 30 days | AB PPCLA Section 33.6 / PPAR Section 26 |
Comply with determination Days to pay an amount ordered by an adjudicator. AB PPAR Section 26 | set by the adjudicator's order | AB PPAR Section 26 |
Holdback retained Percentage of each payment retained as statutory holdback to protect lien claimants. AB PPCLA Section 18 | 10% | AB PPCLA Section 18 |
Holdback release period Period that must run before holdback may be released. AB PPCLA Section 18 | 60 days | AB PPCLA Section 18 |
Lien filing window Days to preserve or register a construction lien before the right expires. AB PPCLA Section 41 | 60 days | AB PPCLA Section 41 |
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Alberta prompt-payment FAQ
Does Alberta have a deemed-proper-invoice rule?
No. Unlike Ontario, the PPCLA has no provision deeming an invoice proper if the payer stays silent. That makes a complete, correct invoice essential from the start.
When did the PPCLA take effect?
The prompt-payment and adjudication provisions came into force on August 29, 2022 and apply to contracts entered into on or after that date.
When does the prompt-payment clock start?
It starts when a proper invoice is received by the payer. If the invoice is missing required information, it may not qualify as a proper invoice and the clock may not start until the defect is cured.
What happens if a notice of non-payment is late?
A late notice is generally treated as if no notice was given, so the full invoiced amount becomes payable, usually with interest from the date payment was due.
Track Alberta deadlines automatically
Track reviewed Alberta payment and security dates, prepare the applicable documents, and keep the supporting records together.