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Toronto Star
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
As the separation debate heats up, Danielle Smith sets Albertans against each other
The next year in Alberta promises to be a hot one. Premier Danielle Smith's last minute move to amend legislation that makes it so much easier to collect enough signatures for a referendum has lit the match. And what would that referendum be about? Separation from the rest of Canada. One separatist group has even told us what the referendum question should be: 'Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?' You may think that this is just a ruse to get the Liberal government to cave in on Smith's demands, among others, for 'unfettered' access to pipeline corridors or her longing to abolish an emissions cap on carbon spewing oilsands production. And maybe it is just a harmless negotiating tactic. But the division and angst it will cause Albertans and the rest of Canadians is a high price to pay for simply getting a better deal. The uncertainty alone will cause a dramatic drop in investment. Nancy Southern, president of ATCO Ltd., a $24 billion utility and infrastructure company, who has long supported the UCP/Progressive Conservatives, is already warning that it will affect business decisions. She says the prospect of Alberta independence is raising too many questions for companies to feel confident making big investment decisions. 'I think the separatist discussion is very unhelpful and not constructive to Alberta,' Southern said in an interview following her company's annual shareholder meeting. And what happens to property values as the talk of Alberta separation grows? Will people start to worry about the decreasing value of their homes? Their small businesses? As Jen Gerson, co-founder of The Line wrote in her Substack: 'Personally, I don't think the federal government should be imposing emissions cap on the provinces. I think we do need east-west pipelines, and I don't think the current equalization formula is particularly fair — but am I willing to risk my home and my citizenship on a wish list of accords compiled by junior oil and gas executives? …. No.' In response to separation talk an Alberta First Nation — Onion Lake Cree Nation — has revived its legal challenge to the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act. Chief Henry Lewis told an Edmonton press conference that the law has always been about undercutting federal control and asserting provincial control contrary to the treaty his nation signed with The Crown before Alberta was a province. 'I want to respectfully remind the premier that this land that we stand on today is treaty land and is not yours to take or make sweeping decisions about,' he said. The Alberta Prosperity Project, which is leading the charge for separation, was aiming for 600,000 signatures on a referendum petition will now only have to collect about 177,000. That shouldn't be too difficult. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW It has taken a hard line approach to the election of Mark Carney and the Liberals: 'The era of Carney Carnage is here. While every province will experience it, there's no secret he's placed an extra big bullseye on Alberta.' This is the essence of the separatism message; we are perennial victims of federal governments so why not go it alone? It makes no sense when you consider that Alberta is the richest province with the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita. It makes no sense when you consider that thousands of people are moving here to seek a better life. It makes no sense when Canada is facing a real threat from south of the border and needs to pull together. But that is nothing to Smith, who worries that if she doesn't kowtow to the extreme elements of her party and her caucus she will be booted out of office. Or she will have to face real problems like the slide in the price of oil, which depletes the provincial treasury. So to avoid it all she is going to set Albertans against each other. That's the mark of a weak leader who would rather set the province on fire than govern.
Cision Canada
07-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
On Target: 2024 Sustainability Report Shows ATCO's Continued Progress in Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance
Today, we released our 2024 Sustainability Report, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. The report provides an update on our strategic initiatives and progress in key areas such as resilience and safety, the energy transition, and Indigenous and community partnerships. View PDF "We are proud of our continued progress in 2024, which is a direct reflection of the dedication and innovation of our team," said Nancy Southern, Chair & Chief Executive Officer of ATCO Ltd. and Canadian Utilities Limited. "Companies that flourish over many decades are those that prioritize a long-term vision and look beyond the immediate horizon. For our group of companies, sustainable practices, strong governance, and operational excellence are not just moral obligations but long-term strategic imperatives. In that respect, they are safeguards against the volatility of today's business, political and economic environments." Highlights of ATCO's 2024 sustainability performance include: Continued grid modernization through the replacement of traditional electricity meters, with 118,000 smart meters installed across Alberta to date. Investing in preventative measures to enhance system resilience, including fire-wrapping 77,000 electrical poles. Advancing hydrogen projects, including the launch of the Energy Discovery Centre, the first building in North America heated by 100% hydrogen. Reducing company-wide GHG emissions to earnings intensity by 13 per cent compared to 2023, a 40 per cent decrease compared to our 2020 baseline. Reducing customers' GHG emissions by 1,387,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent cumulatively since 2020. Generating $123 million in net economic benefit to Indigenous groups, including awarding contracts totalling over $95 million to Indigenous and Indigenous-affiliated contractors. Investing $9.7 million in communities through gifts-in-kind, sponsorships, donations and our matching contribution to the employee-led ATCO EPIC Program, which raised $2.5 million in pledges. Recognized in 2025 as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People and Alberta's Top Employers, for the fourth consecutive year. Looking forward, we remain focused on our continued role in achieving an equitable and sustainable energy future. We will continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders and communities to foster innovation, environmental stewardship, and resilience in the face of global challenges. Click here to see the full ATCO 2024 Sustainability Report. About ATCO As a global enterprise, ATCO Ltd. and its subsidiary and affiliate companies have approximately 21,000 employees and assets of $27 billion. ATCO is committed to future prosperity by working to meet the world's essential energy, housing, security and transportation challenges. ATCO Structures designs, builds and delivers products to service the essential need for housing and shelter around the globe. ATCO Frontec provides operational support services to government, defence and commercial clients. ATCO Energy Systems delivers essential energy for an evolving world through its electricity and natural gas transmission and distribution, and international electricity operations. ATCO EnPower creates sustainable energy solutions in the areas of electricity generation, energy storage, industrial water and cleaner fuels. ATCO Australia develops, builds, owns and operates energy and infrastructure assets. ATCO Energy and Home Services provides retail electricity and natural gas services, home maintenance services and professional home advice that bring exceptional comfort, peace of mind and freedom to homeowners and customers. ATCO also has investments in ports and transportation logistics, the processing and marketing of ash, retail food services and commercial real estate. More information can be found at Investor Inquiries: Colin Jackson Senior Vice President, Financial Operations [email protected] 403-808-2636 Media Inquiries: Kurt Kadatz Director, Corporate Communications [email protected] 587-228-4571 Forward-Looking Information Advisory Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "goal", "target", "strategy", "initiative", "future", "believe" and similar expressions. In particular, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, references to: the company's strategic initiatives and progress toward its ESG targets; the company's focus on its role in achieving an equitable and sustainable energy future; and the company's continued work with stakeholders and communities to foster innovation, environmental stewardship and meet global challenges. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable based on the information that is available on the date this news release was prepared and the processes used to prepare such information, such information does not constitute a guarantee of future performance, and no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Such information involves a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results, levels of activity, and achievements to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking information in this news release reflects current beliefs and assumptions with respect to, among other things: the ability of the company to successfully achieve its 2030 ESG targets and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050; the development, performance and implementation of processes, technology and technological innovations; the ability to access and implement commercially viable technology at scale necessary to achieve GHG and other ESG targets; the pace of the energy transition; continuing collaboration with certain business partners and engagement with new business partners and regulatory and environmental groups; the receipt of regulatory approvals; the performance of assets and equipment; demand levels for oil, natural gas, gasoline, diesel and other energy sources; certain levels of future energy use; future production rates; future revenue and earnings; planned methods of transportation; the ability to meet project schedules; and other assumptions inherent in management's expectations in respect of the forward-looking information identified herein. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information as a result of, among other things: risks related to the development and performance of assets, technology and new energy efficient products, services, and programs, including but not limited to the use of zero-emission and renewable fuels, carbon capture utilization and storage, electrification of equipment powered by zero-emission energy sources, and the utilization and availability of carbon offsets; applicable laws, regulations and government policies, including uncertainty with respect to recent amendments to the Competition Act (Canada); regulatory decisions; competitive factors; political factors; prevailing market and economic conditions; credit risk; interest rate fluctuations; the availability and cost of labour, materials, services and infrastructure; risks related to the development and execution of projects; prices of electricity, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and renewable energy; potential termination or breach of contracts by contract counterparties; the occurrence of unexpected events such as fires, severe weather conditions, explosions, blowouts, equipment failures, transportation incidents, and other accidents or similar events; global pandemics; the imposition of customs duties, tariffs or other trade restrictions; geopolitical tensions and wars; and other risk factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. Due to the interdependencies and correlation of these factors, the impact of any one assumption or risk on a forward-looking statement cannot be determined with certainty. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists are not exhaustive. For additional information about the principal risks that the company faces, see "Business Risks and Risk Management" in ATCO Ltd.'s Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release reflects the company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.
