“This discussion paper is yet another example of a lesson Ottawa refuses to learn: the only way to actually cut emissions and keep life affordable is to work with the provinces to create environmental policies that will actually work.

“Alberta has always taken responsible energy development seriously and that’s why we’ve been taking action on climate change for more than two decades – regulating industry, investing in innovation and supporting industry to adopt clean technology.

“However, Alberta will not accept any plan from the federal government that seeks to interfere in our constitutionally protected ability to develop our resources. Provinces are the owners of these natural resources, which have been responsibly managed on behalf of Canadians for decades. In May 2022, the Court of Appeal of Alberta ruled that the Impact Assessment Act raises an issue of fundamental fairness. The justices determined that the federal government has taken a wrecking ball to the constitutional right of Albertans and other provinces to have their natural resources developed for their benefit.

“The federal government cannot act unilaterally to meet their emissions targets. The global energy crisis and skyrocketing cost of living are affecting all Canadians, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Rising energy prices are impacting business supply chains and the transportation sector, making life more expensive for Canadians – from putting gas in their cars to buying groceries to heating and cooling their homes.

“Alberta is fully prepared to engage in meaningful and productive discussions with the federal government on ways we can reduce emissions – yet we have not been given that chance. Less than two weeks ago, energy ministers from the federal government, provinces and territories gathered together, yet Ottawa did not seek our input or share this paper.

“Alberta is a world leader in environmental performance and lowering emissions. The world will continue to use oil and gas, and that energy must come from jurisdictions like Alberta, not Russia. We will review this paper, but Alberta’s position is clear: we will only support practical solutions, developed through meaningful consultation, that keep life affordable for Canadians.”

Quick facts

  • Alberta has a limit on oil sands emissions, and the Pathways Alliance is targeting net zero by 2050.
  • In 2007, Alberta was the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a price on carbon for large industrial emitters. Today, the province has a robust emissions management system in the form of the Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Regulation.
  • Alberta is spending up to $700 million from the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction fund in coming years on programs that are cutting emissions and creating much-needed jobs.
  • Methane has been reduced from the upstream oil and gas sector by almost 35 per cent since 2014 and Alberta has the fastest-growing renewable energy sector in Canada.