Alberta Premier Danielle Smith during a press conference discussing energy regulations on September 28, 2023. (Photo: Government of Alberta/YourAlberta on YouTube)

By Joel Mendelson

Alberta calls on Canadians to oppose federal electricity guidelines

Sep 28, 2023 | 2:06 PM

CALGARY, AB – In response to the Canadian government’s proposed electricity regulations, Alberta has launched a national advertising campaign to inform Canadians that they will impact them negatively.

The province said the proposed regulations would increase power bills for Albertans and Canadians overall, drive investment out of the province and put grid reliability at risk.

If the current guidelines are to be followed, Alberta will need to achieve net-zero in 12 years without the help of baseload power such as natural gas. Officials note the lack of stable sources would likely increase the possibility of brownouts and blackouts.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said, “Canadians need to know the risks they face if Ottawa’s proposed electricity regulations move forward without any amendments. The federal government is choosing to ignore the facts about their transition, but we are not. All Canadians need to be able to rely on reliable and affordable electricity and we will continue to fight for that.”

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Alberta’s advertisement campaign encourages Canadians to tell the federal government that they cannot afford to pay more for a net-zero goal, which could ultimately leave them without reliable power.

Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Rebecca Schulz said, “The federal government has claimed that these regulations prioritize ‘reliability, affordability and sustainability.’ This is a falsehood. In fact, the opposite is true.”

Schulz added, “These regulations compromise the reliability of Alberta’s grid, drive up costs for families and business, and will be impossible to implement in next 12 years. The federal government is on a path that will lead to failure and Canadians who are already struggling will be the victims.”

ALBERTA’S SUCCESS

The province reduced electricity emissions by 53 per cent between 2005 and 2021. Alberta will be fully transitioned from coal-powered electricity in 2024.

The province noted it has achieved this success using the Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan, which includes actions that will help the province accomplish its own achievable target for a carbon-neutral power grid by 2005 without compromising affordable, reliable and secure energy for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

NEXT STEPS

The governments of Alberta and Canada agreed to focus on the federal electricity regulations as a first priority, when they met on September 12, 2023.

If alignment is not achieved between the two parties, Alberta will then chart its own course to ensure the province has additional reliable and affordable electricity brought to the power grid. Alberta will accomplish this by ensuring their market has the proper signals to make investments in clean technology within an appropriate timeframe, regarding investors and affordability.

The Constitution of Canada states that regulating and legislating the development of electricity falls within the jurisdiction of the province.

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