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Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney speaks to media during the Western Premiers' conference in Edmonton. Alberta's premier is promising reinforcements to help with the increased caseloads being faced by prosecutors in the province.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press

Alberta’s premier is promising reinforcements are on the way soon to help with the increased caseloads being faced by prosecutors in the province.

In 2016, the Supreme Court’s Jordan decision imposed time limits on how long a criminal trial can take before it is deemed unreasonably delayed.

The ruling said people charged with an offence have the right to have their case tried within 18 months in provincial courts and 30 months in superior courts.

The result has been more cases being stayed by the Crown.

Premier Jason Kenney says the possibility of criminals getting off scot-free isn’t acceptable and the government will be announcing plans to hire 50 more prosecutors in the near future.

He says money is tight, but the government has put aside another $10-million dollars for the prosecution service.

“The first responsibility of government is to maintain public safety and the notion that criminals are getting off scot free simply because we have an inadequate number of prosecutors is to me totally unacceptable,” Kenney said.

“The minister of justice will be making an announcement about that in the not too distant future. Stay tuned.”

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