Policy · Alberta · Claude stack · 2026
Claude Model Routing Policy for Alberta SMBs
Most token waste is not “AI is expensive.” It is people picking the strongest model for every email. Here is a routing policy you can paste into Notion, SharePoint, or a one-pager for staff in Edmonton, Calgary, Sherwood Park, and remote Alberta teams.
Quick answer: Default to Sonnet 5 for daily work. Use Opus 5 for production coding agents and complex multi-step tools. Use Fable 5 only with a human-approved hard-job flag. Never paste client secrets into public chats without policy.
Three lanes
Lane A · Sonnet 5 · default
Email, summaries, CRM notes, first-pass proposals, light research, most Claude Code day jobs. API intro $2/$10 until Aug 31, 2026, then $3/$15.
Lane B · Opus 5 · agents
Multi-step coding agents, stubborn tool loops, enterprise workflows that already fail on Sonnet. API $5/$25.
Lane C · Fable 5 · hard jobs only
Multi-day migrations, deep document packs, jobs Opus already failed twice. API $10/$50. Check consumer metered fees. Requires approval.
Copy-ready policy (plain text)
CLAUDE MODEL ROUTING — Opcelerate template (Alberta SMB) Owner: _________________ Review date: __________ 1) Default model: Claude Sonnet 5 2) Agent / complex coding: Claude Opus 5 3) Hard job only (manager approval): Claude Fable 5 4) Forbidden without written approval: client PII, health data, payroll, unreleased financials, passwords, full production secrets 5) Human review required before: external email, legal text, public web copy, bid submissions 6) Monthly spend alert: $_______ CAD (API + any metered Fable) 7) Logging: keep prompt purpose tag (daily / agent / hard-job) 8) Training: every user completes Start AI Free or a live class Escalation to Fable requires: - Job description (1–2 lines) - Why Sonnet/Opus failed - Expected business value - Approver initials + date
Price context (so the policy sticks)
| Model | API sticker (USD) | When staff may pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Sonnet 5 | $2/$10 intro → $3/$15 after Aug 31 | Default |
| Opus 5 | $5 / $25 | Agent path |
| Fable 5 | $10 / $50 | Approved hard job only |
| Haiku 4.5 | $1 / $5 | High-volume simple tasks |
Deep dives: Sonnet deadline · Opus 5 · Fable pricing · Fable consumer fees
Alberta-specific notes
- Trades, oilfield services, clinics, and municipal teams often handle regulated or client-sensitive files. Routing without privacy rules is incomplete.
- US-only inference (1.1×) is a residency control, not a full privacy program.
- Train admins and owners first. One power user on Fable can burn a month of budget in a week.
Rollout in one week
- Day 1: paste policy, name an owner.
- Day 2: set defaults in Claude / API keys / Claude Code.
- Day 3: 60-minute staff briefing (or book Academy / Bring-a-Friend free hour).
- Day 5: review token report; kill random Fable usage.
- Day 7: freeze policy v1 for 30 days.
We install this routing with your real workflows. Free discovery call. Or bring a coworker for a free first training hour.
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