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In critical North America oil hub, pipelines and uncertainty are shaping byelection
At first glance, the east-central Alberta town of Hardisty looks like many prairie communities. A semi-trailer rolls along a wide, open road beneath an expansive blue sky. An antique shop opens on the modest main street, drawing in treasure seekers for a chat and a quick barter. The popular local sports pub fills with locals ordering the daily special. Today, it's fried chicken and ribs. But just southeast of the town of about 600 residents, the landscape changes. Large tanks dot the horizon, holding millions of barrels of crude. Within Alberta's energy industry, everyone knows the name. This is the Hardisty Terminal, a critical hub (new window) in North America's oil and gas network. If you want to get oil out of Western Canada, for the most part, almost all of it comes through Hardisty at some point, says Blake Moser, chair of the Hardisty and District Development Group. Enlarge image (new window) The Hardisty Terminal is viewed as a site of strategic importance to North America's oil and gas industry. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve Inside the town limits, residents are proud to say that this infrastructure keeps the country's energy economy moving. At the same time, the town itself is grappling with a lack of services that threaten its sense of community amid a period of broader political uncertainty and rapid global change. Hardisty sits in the federal riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, where voters will head to the polls on Monday. While the town has an agricultural base, the oil industry dominates its economy and its politics. Our energy sector is going to play a big role, says local realtor Connie Beringer of the upcoming election. 'Still getting by' Hardisty's fortunes flow with the pipelines and projects located outside its boundaries. When things are busy, restaurants and hotels fill up. When things slow down, so it goes for the town. Vince and Hayden Lehne, father and son, run Local Rentals & Septic Service, supplying equipment, water and septic services largely to oilfield and construction crews. There have been plenty of busy periods for the Lehnes, such as during the Line 3 pipeline replacement project (new window) . But over time, as projects started to slow down, so did activity on the streets of Hardisty. Some recent years have been more moderate, especially this past winter, when the phone largely went quiet. Enlarge image (new window) Hayden Lehne, left, and Vince Lehne, right, operate Local Rentals & Septic Service in Hardisty, Alta. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve It's hard to put your finger on why that is. In Hayden's eyes, it could just be the way the world's going. Maybe everyone just wants to start getting away from oil and gas, he says. The father and son will congregate in the main office each morning to complete paperwork and dispatch equipment, but also to chat. Signs of the world changing are all around them. Some of it they find fascinating. I'd say, our day-to-day in the mornings would be, sit here, talk about what crypto's doing, Hayden says. Much like the volatile, roller-coaster world of digital currencies, Local Rentals & Septic Service has ridden the wave of the boom-and-bust oil and gas industry's ups and downs. The shop was originally purchased by Vince's father, who began with small items like porta-potties before expanding into larger gear. Even at 79, he still comes in the shop daily, as does Vince's mother, who manages invoices and submits paperwork, all without taking a paycheque. Enlarge image (new window) Hayden Lehne handles much of the day-to-day field work for Local Rentals & Septic Service in Hardisty, Alta. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve Hayden joined the operation in 2017 after working as a journeyman welder. Now married with a young child, he handles much of the day-to-day work, including water, septic and equipment deliveries. It's good, Vince says of having the whole family under one roof. He thinks for a moment. Well, when it's good, it's really good, Vince says. And then, when … let's say it's slow, it's kind of stressful, because now your whole family's [tied] into it, right? Vince and Hayden share a sense of gratitude for what the industry has brought them, and the repeat clients they can count on. As it has always been, quiet times often give way to good times. That's playing out again, as the melt of a cold and unnerving winter has left behind brighter business prospects for summer. Still, those prospects don't erase the broader reality that the world is in a time of rapid change. While the sector is riding a wave of strong profits, much of it is being returned to shareholders rather than major expansions of operations. Government coffers continue to see significant contributions from the oil and gas sector in the form of royalties and taxes. However, among all sectors, it is Canada's single largest source (new window) of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for about 30 per cent of the national total in 2023. When there are global shifts in oil and gas demand or when tariffs and inflation hit, the ripple effects reach Hardisty. It's getting kind of harder to make a living, says Hayden. But you know. Still getting by. Grateful for the things we do have. Ups and downs Gratitude is on the minds of the Lehnes, and it's obviously a message that has caught on among the small community. On a town sign in the middle of the community, a placard reads: As summer winds down, let August be a month of gratitude. Over the past few years, officials say they've attracted new residents and businesses. Beringer, the local realtor, says the market was quite soft up until early spring this year. We've seen about a 30 to 35 per cent increase in house sales, mostly people moving in from Ontario and B.C., she says. Enlarge image (new window) Connie Beringer, a local Realtor in Hardisty, Alta., says in recent years, houses could stay on the market for upwards of a year, and maybe even longer. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve Of course, the status of major projects, such as pipelines and rail infrastructure, significantly impact local business activity, says Wayne Jackson, the town's mayor. Political and economic uncertainty has slowed things down and has led to one of the most uncertain times the mayor has seen in his town. The last few years, I've noticed the projects that are getting done are like … I see people working on what they have. They're not adding as much, he says. Service gaps frustrating Despite its central role in North America's energy network, Hardisty also faces rural service gaps that have become familiar all across the country. Its hospital operates with limited capacity. There's difficulty attracting medical professionals. And the local school has been closed for years (new window) . With the school's doors shut, kids start their days with long bus rides, heading out on the highway toward classrooms in Irma or Sedgewick. In winter, that can mean icy roads for big chunks of time before the first bell even rings. For all the pride they hold in their community and their industry, these issues are a lingering source of frustration for officials. We have all of these hundreds of millions of dollars worth of product flowing through our back door, Jackson said. It's truly bizarre to me that we don't have more attention. Enlarge image (new window) The Allan Johnstone K-9 school was shuttered in 2020. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve Without these basic services, some residents feel the town's future is at risk. I feel really sorry for the young families that would probably move in here, that choose not to because of no education and health care, says Marilyn Devey, who's lived in the community for four decades. She believes these gaps deter young families: They choose other communities. Pipelines and policy Moser, of the Hardisty and District Development Group, knows the maze of tanks and pipes that make up the Hardisty Terminal like the back of his hand. As long as somebody's consuming, it'll always be moving through Hardisty. This facility, it's not going anywhere, he says. He wants to see someone elected in the upcoming byelection who can advocate for reduced barriers to market. In his view, that would benefit the entire country, including when it comes to additional royalties available for use by governments. A lot of the large American companies, they don't have as much confidence in the oilsands, and developing some of these larger projects, he says. That definitely impacts the amount of oil that we're able to move through here. Blake Moser, chair of the Hardisty and District Development Group, is shown in a photo while driving around the outskirts of the Hardisty Terminal near Hardisty, Alta. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is running in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding to regain a seat in the House of Commons, has frequently criticized (new window) federal oil and gas policy, recently promising to legalize pipelines through new legislation. At a candidates' forum in Camrose, Alta., on July 29, Poilievre said electing a leader of a political party as a local MP could bring a very powerful megaphone to local issues of a community. For example, getting a pipeline built from Hardisty over to Prince Rupert or to Kitimat, that is a local issue that requires national leadership, he said. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, participates in the Battle River-Crowfoot byelection candidates' forum in Camrose, Alta., on July 29, next to Liberal candidate Darcy Spady. Photo: CBC Other candidates in the riding have also voiced their support for pipelines. During the July 29 forum, Liberal candidate Darcy Spady said he was in support of Prime Minister Mark Carney's stated goal to build the strongest economy in the G7. I think it's time we have pipelines that sell our oil and gas, and solid trading practices around the globe, Spady said. Conservative MP Damien Kurek resigned to allow Poilievre to run in the race, which includes more than 200 candidates, most of whom are part of a group of electoral reform advocates known as the Longest Ballot Committee. Mixed picture on main street On Hardisty's main street, the mood is mixed. On a recent Friday, many Hardisty storefronts stay shuttered until late morning. Some are closed entirely. Fred Stolz is one of the shop owners opening the doors. He operates Old Town Mercantile, which deals in antiques, sports memorabilia and novelty items. In the store, the walls are lined with vintage licence plates dating from 1929 to the late 1970s. The space also features collectibles like original Tonka toys, a 1905 cash register from an old Alberta pharmacy, antique china cabinets and survey equipment. Anything that's cool, we sell, Stolz says. Enlarge image (new window) Fred Stolz's shop sells antiques, sports memorabilia and novelty items, and he says he is seeing encouraging signs of revival with several new businesses opening in recent years. Photo: CBC / Bob Grieve He attributes the closure of some shops in the area to the ebbs and flows in the economy. Unlike in a big city, people are only going out for dinner on certain occasions. It's the influx of people that makes things exciting, in Stolz's view. He's seen new businesses open in recent years, including a live theatre, but knows success means saving in good times to weather the slow ones. Ebbs and flows, you know, he says. For Stolz, there's hope that a friendlier environment for oil and gas could draw more people to Hardisty, boosting local businesses and making key services like the school and hospital viable again. He sees population growth as essential to sustaining Hardisty's future. But no matter what happens, he says it's the small town's resilience that is its constant, not the swings or the political debate. No matter how tough the times are, Stolz says, people survive.
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
Lilly signs US$1.3 billion deal with Superluminal to discover obesity medicines using AI
A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. stands outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) Eli Lilly has signed a deal worth US$1.3 billion with privately held Superluminal Medicines to discover and develop small-molecule drugs through AI to treat obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases. Lilly currently dominates the obesity treatment market, estimated to be worth $150 billion by the next decade, and is trying to strengthen its foothold in the space through the development of next-generation drugs, acquisitions and partnerships. The deal gives Lilly exclusive rights to develop and commercialize drug candidates discovered using Superluminal's proprietary AI-driven platform targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) - a class of proteins that can influence physiological processes including metabolism, cell growth and immune responses - the drug developer said on Thursday. Drugmakers including Danish rival Novo Nordisk are exploring potential GPCR targets to develop oral small-molecule drugs for obesity. 'GPCRs have established themselves as very important targets in the obesity and cardiometabolic landscape, but we're at the very early stages of exploration of the target class,' Superluminal CEO Cony D'Cruz told Reuters. Novo struck a $2.2 billion deal with U.S. biotech Septerna in May to develop small-molecule therapies directed at select GPCR targets. Lilly has been capitalizing on the overwhelming popularity of the GLP-1 class of medicines, including its blockbuster drug Zepbound as well as Novo's Wegovy. It is also developing a keenly watched oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, which has failed to meet investor expectations. The drugmaker teamed up with Hong Kong-listed biotech Laekna last year to develop an experimental obesity drug that aims to help patients lose weight while preserving muscle. As part of the deal, Superluminal is eligible to receive upfront and milestone payments, an equity investment as well as tiered royalties on net sales, the company said. Boston-based startup Superluminal is developing a wholly owned lead candidate targeting a protein called melanocortin 4 receptor to treat certain rare, genetic forms of obesity and is expected to begin human trials by fourth quarter next year. The lead candidate is not part of the deal with Lilly. Superluminal is backed by investors including RA Capital Management, Insight Partners and NVentures, NVIDIA's venture capital arm. (Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
Business groups alarmed about potential Air Canada shutdown
Air Canada flight attendants hold a silent protest at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi TORONTO — Business groups are warning of the broader impacts a shutdown at Air Canada would bring as a Saturday work stoppage over a new contract looms. Toronto Region Board of Trade chief executive Giles Gherson says even a brief shutdown would have wide-reaching economic consequences. He says a disruptive work stoppage would come as Canada is working to reboot the economy amid mounting trade pressures, making the stakes higher than ever. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says small businesses are deeply concerned by the prospects given the massive economic uncertainty. It says one-third of Canadian small businesses depend on the summer tourism season for their revenues and members 'cannot afford to lose a single day.' More than 10,000 flight attendants are poised to walk off the job around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, followed by a company-imposed lockout if the two sides can't reach an eleventh-hour deal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025. Ian Bickis, The Canadian Press
