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Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Alberta is overhauling its energy market. Here's what's happening, and why
Alberta is overhauling its energy market through a suite of changes aimed at making the system more reliable and affordable – a gargantuan task that involves a raft of reviews, consultations, and legislative and regulatory changes. One of the largest drivers of that transformation is the development of the Restructured Energy Market. The REM process is examining the main rules and principles that govern Alberta's electricity market in an effort to ensure that the system remains as reliable and affordable as possible. The REM is being overseen by the Alberta Electric System Operator, which operates the province's power grid. The United Conservative government tasked the AESO with developing a new system for how the electricity market operates following years of volatile prices and, later, shortages that led to provincewide outages and pleas for consumers to power down. The REM redesign process began as the Market Pathways initiative, launched on Aug. 1, 2023. In March of 2024, however, the government changed its directive to the AESO. It asked for a much broader overhaul, which was renamed the REM. Alberta's power system is unique in Canada in that it has no central or Crown power provider. Instead, private companies run the plants that feed electricity into the grid. The AESO works with the industry and the government to manage and plan that market. Alberta restructures utilities rules ahead of major power market overhaul The overhaul comes as jurisdictions across North America grapple with how to meet rocketing demand for electricity. Industries are becoming increasingly electrified to reduce carbon emissions, and governments are trying to attract power-thirsty data centres. Alberta, for example, is aiming for $100-billion of investment over a few years. Electricity generation technology has changed dramatically over the past few years. First, coal-fired power plants, which ran 24/7, were phased out. Most producers pivoted to natural gas-fired power stations, which present more flexibility and, for the most part, provide reliable – and cleaner – electricity, no matter the weather. Then came what Matt Davis, the vice-president of policy with Edmonton-based Capital Power, called the 'spectacular build-out' of wind and solar. 'I don't think there's enough appreciation of what that actually does to the system and how challenging it is to operate.' All those changes, coupled with the growing use of batteries to store power and improve reliability, has completely changed the the way Alberta's grid operates. 'Obviously the sun comes up in the morning and goes down at night. We know the wind doesn't always blow,' said Jason Wang, a senior electricity analyst with Pembina Institute, a think tank. 'It's important for electricity markets to be able to make sure it's an even playing field for all types of generation, but also for that reliability to be maintained.' Those in Alberta's utilities sector say that the complexity of the REM review is off the charts – particularly when combined with other changes happening around the same time, including new transmission regulations, local access fees and distribution. It's not easy, agrees Alberta's Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf. 'But we thought, 'If we're going to undertake this work, there's no point in doing it half-measure,' he says. 'If we were going to do some significant portions, why don't we do it fully – completely engage with stakeholders and make this adjustment all at the same time – so that we don't have to go through this multiple times over multiple administrations.' Report finds Alberta's restrictive renewables policies dampened investment Opinion: Free the market for renewable energy in Alberta Alberta wants a new market in place by 2027. Other jurisdictions such as Texas, Ontario and California have undertaken similar reviews, but took much longer to implement changes. Alberta could have taken its time, Mr. Neudorf says, but industry urged speedy completion of the task to avoid prolonging the market uncertainty that undermines investment. But Pembina's Mr. Wang reckons the accelerated timeline has created more uncertainty – particularly when combined with the government's seven-month ban on renewable power project approvals in August, 2023. 'In a different world, the government could have said, 'We want to make market changes, but they won't be implemented until 2030, maybe even like 2034, 2035,' so that they were slowly phased in. Then investors would have short-term certainty, and they would have that longer-term certainty.' The REM was initially to be completed by May, but that timeline has been pushed back owing to the scale of the exercise and concerns of the utilities sector. For example, AESO scrapped a mandatory day-ahead market rule that would have had participants agree a day ahead of time on the price and the duration of power production, and which industry said was far too complex. Reliability and planning standards will likely be implemented within the next year, and Mr. Neudorf anticipates that most of the decisions around the REM will be made by this summer. The province has already tabled Bill 52, which allows changes to be made at a rapid clip, rather than going through another year of public consultations. More legislation is slated for fall or spring. For the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the REM raises broader economic concerns. The community has been investing in renewable power installations in Southern Alberta since around 2018. But the price of power from its renewables sites dropped significantly; in the final quarter of 2024, revenue was down roughly 12 per cent, says Jason Schulz, Athabasca Chipewyan's executive director of strategic advisory services. Promised power transmission infrastructure was never built to support renewable energy projects either, he says, which caused congestion on the grid. Electricity 'pretty well just gets dumped' as a result, he says, adding that the REM is unlikely to change that, given the distribution model being considered. Still, he's hopeful the REM will be a good news story for those in the power sector. With some positive decisions and others yet to be determined, he says, 'time will tell.' Capital Power's Mr. Davis is pleased the REM process has recognized the value of dispatchable, flexible generation capacity, be it batteries or gas-fired generators. 'There's more of an inherent acknowledgement that there is additional value to those resources because they provide critical reliability attributes to the system.' Bob Myles, chief executive of Calgary-based Canadian Utilities Ltd., says he's much more optimistic about the REM today than he was six months ago, given how much the AESO is listening to industry. 'There were a lot of doubters for a long time, that a lot of the comments were not being heard,' he says. 'Do we have everything figured out yet? No, there's still some issues that could have significant negative impacts on generators. But I believe now we're heading in the right direction, in a better direction.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three Alberta byelections, including two in Edmonton, called for June 23
Three provincial byelections are to be held on June 23 after writs were issued on Monday. The byelections are to fill vacant seats in the legislature, specifically those for Edmonton-Strathcona, Edmonton-Ellerslie, and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Candidate nominations for the races are open until 2 p.m. on June 5, though many candidates have already been selected. Edmonton-Strathcona has been vacant since Rachel Notley stepped down effective Dec. 30, a period of nearly five months, just one shy of the legislated time limit. That seat will be contested chiefly between Alberta New Democrat leader Naheed Nenshi and United Conservative candidate and current government press secretary Darby Crouch. The riding has had an NDP representative since 1997 and was also the riding of former NDP leader Raj Pannu. The seat for Edmonton-Ellerslie was vacated by the NDP's Rod Loyola, who left to run in last month's federal election after winning three consecutive elections in the constituency. Gurtej Singh Brar is seeking to retain the seat for the NDP and will be most immediately challenged by the UCP's Naresh Bhadwaj, who represented the riding for the former Progressive Conservative Party after winning in the same riding in both 2008 and 2012. Ellerslie is also home to one of two separatist candidates running with the Republican Party of Alberta's Fred Munn, also seeking the seat. The riding has been represented by three different parties since it was first contested in 1993. The seat for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills had been occupied since 2015 by MLA Nathan Cooper, who is set to depart the province to represent Alberta in Washington. Premier Danielle Smith used a clause in the UCP's constitution to forego an open nomination race and selected Alberta Grains chairperson Tara Sawyer as the party's candidate. The separatist Republican Party's leader Cameron Davies is also set to contest the race, which has been won by candidates for conservative-leaning parties since it was created in 1997. The NDP nomination process for the race is ongoing, and a candidate is expected to be announced later this week. There are currently 46 United Conservative MLAs, 36 with the NDP, two independent members, along with the three vacant seats to be decided next month. mblack@ Alberta to implement new rules after 'sexually explicit' content found in books at schools in Edmonton, Calgary Bell: Danielle Smith warns Carney — 'stop foot-dragging' and kill anti-oil policies Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Onion Lake Cree Nation to proceed with its legal challenge of Alberta sovereignty act
EDMONTON - Alberta's bill lowering the bar for a separation referendum has spurred a First Nation to push ahead with a legal challenge against the premier's flagship sovereignty act. Danielle Smith has said her Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act is needed to push back on what the province believes is unconstitutional federal encroachment into provincial jurisdiction. But Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Henry Lewis said that law has always been about undermining federal authority and asserting provincial control, which goes against his community's Treaty 6 relationship with the Crown. '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 at a news conference in Edmonton on Thursday. He announced the legal challenge is moving forward a day after Smith's government passed a bill significantly lowering the threshold for citizens to prompt a referendum, including one on seceding from Canada. The First Nation, which straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary, filed a statement of claim in 2022, but lawyer Robert Hladun said the community put it on pause, hoping for a resolution with the government. 'We waited for consultation, waited for some participation. We waited for some respect. None of that happened,' he said. Another lawyer representing the community, Michael Marchen, said the sovereignty act is an effective derogation of Onion Lake Cree Nation's sovereignty and jurisdiction, and they are asking for the court to declare it have no legal force. 'It was enacted wholly without input, consultation or consideration of the plaintiff's concerns, which is contrary to the spirit of (the) treaty and in derogation of the honour of the Crown,' he said. Smith has said she wants Alberta to stay in Canada, but Lewis says the referendum legislation signals that the province is pushing a separatist agenda. 'I stand here today to remind the premier and her government that we do not stand by and allow our treaty to be violated, disregarded and pushed aside while the talk of separation continues,' said Lewis. Smith's United Conservative government has faced backlash from Indigenous leaders since the referendum bill's introduction in the house more than two weeks ago. On Thursday, hundreds of protesters rallied in front of the legislature to condemn it and demand it be repealed. Smith has repeatedly said that any referendum question must not violate the constitutional rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and must uphold and honour the treaties. Smith has said she's working to gain respect for Alberta within a united Canada, and she doesn't want to see the Alberta separatist movement grow into a large, mainstream political party. She's also said the latest bill is about giving Albertans a say on whatever issue is important to them through direct democracy. Justice Minister Mickey Amery, offering an amendment to the referendum bill late Wednesday evening, said the government has been listening to Indigenous concerns. It now includes a clause stating that nothing in a referendum is to deviate from existing treaty rights. In a Thursday statement, he said the government will be filing a statement of defence in response to Onion Lake Cree Nation's lawsuit 'in due course.' 'Alberta's government is deeply committed to honouring and respecting all treaty rights enshrined in the Constitution – that will not change,' Amery said. Lewis said of the government's assertion that it respects treaty rights: 'It's nothing.' Greg Desjarlais, grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, told reporters outside the legislature that by passing Amery's referendum bill, Smith's government is sowing division among Albertans and dishonouring all treaty people. Desjarlais said the amendment isn't strong enough, and that he wasn't consulted until the bill was already tabled in the legislature. 'They have to repeal the bill,' he said. Echoing Lewis, he said there is no treaty with the province, only the Crown. He said the rally at the legislature Thursday shows 'we're tired of being pushed around.' Desjarlais said First Nations leaders will be seeking an audience with King Charles to reaffirm the treaty. They are also planning a trip to Ottawa, but not at the invitation of Smith. 'Not with her,' he said. 'On our own.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2025.
National Observer
08-05-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Carney, Canada's premiers plan to meet in Saskatchewan next month
Canada's premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet in Saskatoon on June 2 to discuss ways to work together to make the country stronger. In a social media post, Carney said that in the face of "immediate trade pressures," he and the premiers are focused on building up Canada's economic resilience. "That means launching big nation-building projects, removing internal trade barriers and building one Canadian economy," Carney wrote, adding that the meeting in Saskatoon will "keep that work going." Carney spoke with the premiers on Wednesday to brief them on his first meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House as Canada absorbs a barrage of American tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who took part in the conference call, said the premiers congratulated the prime minister on both his recent election victory and the "restraint" he showed during his Tuesday meeting with Trump. "I don't think I'd have the restraint that he had yesterday, to be very frank," said Ford. "I think it's a good start on a new relationship. I think everyone's feeling relatively good on the meeting yesterday. So that's a good start." Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told reporters in Regina he felt good following the meeting with Carney and the premiers. He said he was also pleased by how Carney's meeting with Trump went. Moe added he's looking forward to robust conversations with Carney and the other premiers in Saskatoon. "(There will be) some good discussion on how we can really bring Canadians together in light of a fairly divisive election and a fairly divisive time," he said. "There is some definite change in existing policies that need to happen in order for us to legitimately restart the relationship that we have (with Ottawa)." The Prime Minister's Office said in a news release that the "productive" discussion Wednesday focused on the Canada-US relationship and reinforcing Canada's strength at home. The PMO said the premiers "agreed to accelerate project approvals, including through a 'one project, one review' approach. The prime minister reaffirmed his commitment to table federal legislation to eliminate federal trade barriers by Canada Day." New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said in a social media post Wednesday that premiers shared their top priorities for nation-building projects. She said New Brunswick ports are ready to increase national and international trade with additional investments and that the province has projects that are "ready to move on critical minerals to support economic development." Holt said New Brunswick is a leader in modular home building and is "ready to tap into investments to tackle the national housing crisis." Carney briefed the first ministers after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith publicly raised the prospect of her province separating from Canada. Last week, Smith's United Conservative government introduced legislation that would sharply lower the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum on secession. Ford said Carney did "a really good job" of reaching out to Western Canada and that he told the prime minister it's time his government started "showing some love" to Saskatchewan and Alberta. "The last prime minister showed no love," Ford said. "So it's nice that we're heading out there to Saskatchewan for (a first ministers) meeting." When asked about Smith's referendum legislation during a press conference in Washington on Tuesday, Carney said Canada is stronger when the provinces work together. "As an Albertan, I firmly believe that," he said. "You can always ask a question, but I know what I would respond clearly." On Tuesday, Ford criticized talk of Alberta separating and said Canada must be united in its fight against the United States. "This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, 'Oh, I'm leaving the country,'" he said. Asked Wednesday if any premiers on the conference call cautioned Smith about the timing of a referendum, given talk from the White House of annexing Canada, Ford said "no one brought that up" but the subject might be raised in a "private conversation." Ford was also asked if federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had asked him for a meeting. He said he thinks Poilievre "asked everyone across the country for a meeting." "I have no problem with that, and I'd be more than happy to talk to anyone and work with anyone," Ford said. Carney and Trump spent about two hours together Tuesday at the White House, including about half an hour in front of the cameras in the Oval Office. It was their first face-to-face discussion of US-Canada relations and Trump's ongoing trade war. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew sent Carney a letter Wednesday pitching federal-provincial partnership on several nation-building projects. They include creating a trade corridor through the Port of Churchill, establishing Indigenous "fair trade zones" and developing critical minerals infrastructure. In his letter, Kinew called his province "the Costco of critical minerals." Kinew said Manitoba "stands ready to collaborate" with the prime minister and other provinces and territories to "build a stronger Canada on projects of national interest." In question period Wednesday, Kinew responded to a question about what he's doing to protect the province's film industry from US tariffs. He said Carney and the premiers "have to protect industries across the board, but including those that generate intellectual property." BC Premier David Eby said after the meeting Wednesday that the premiers agreed Carney succeeded in setting the tone for "a new relationship" between Canada and the US. He said the premiers were all "grateful" that the meeting went the way it did, given how recent sessions with other world leaders have unfolded in the Oval Office. Eby also said British Columbians are "all in" for Canada and that this is the moment to stand together as a country. "The idea of separating here is a non-starter," Eby said, adding that he encourages premiers to work together to hold the country together and push back against any separatist movement. Carney said he and Trump agreed to talk further in the coming weeks and will meet in person again when the prime minister hosts the G7 leaders at a summit in Alberta from June 15 to 17. "Really, today marked the end of the beginning of a process of the United States and Canada redefining that relationship of working together," Carney said. "The question is how we will co-operate in the future. How we can build an economic and security relationship built on mutual respect, built on common interests, that delivers transformational benefits to our economies." Fen Hampson, a Carleton University professor and co-chair of a group of experts on Canada-US relations, said Carney has to manage a "two-track set" of negotiations with the United States. First, he faces coming negotiations on the Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement. CUSMA is scheduled to be reviewed in 2026 but Trump has indicated he wants it reopened sooner. Then there is the "more immediate" challenge of persuading Washington to lift recently imposed tariffs on Canadian exports, Hampson said. "That's the first order of the day because I think he recognizes, our government recognizes, that you can't be renegotiating (a trade deal) when essentially the Americans have broken the back of the agreement with these very punitive tariffs," he said. While Trump said Tuesday there was nothing Carney could say to get him to lift the tariffs immediately, Hampson said the president is "quite capable" of changing his mind. "We've seen that before in many cases," he said. "We've even seen it with tariffs. He's imposed tariffs and then lowered them or delayed them." Working in Canada's favour, Hampson said, is the fact that the American economy is "about to tank" as a result of tariffs imposed on Canada and other countries, including China. The challenge will be to get Trump to understand the importance of Canada's market, he added. Carney is expected to name a new cabinet next week, ahead of the return of Parliament at the end of the month. Hampson said he suspects the prime minister will be making some changes to his core team and that he's going to have to pick people who are "tough and good negotiators." "As he looks to potential cabinet appointments, he really needs to look at them not just in terms of their management and ministerial skills, but in terms of their negotiating skills because they're going to have to do some of the negotiating."
Edmonton Journal
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Carney, premiers to meet in June to focus on 'immediate trade pressures'
Article content Last week, Smith's United Conservative government introduced legislation that would sharply lower the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum on secession. Ford said Carney did 'a really good job' of reaching out to Western Canada and that he told the prime minister it's time his government started 'showing some love' to Saskatchewan and Alberta. 'The last prime minister showed no love,' Ford said. 'So it's nice that we're heading out there to Saskatchewan for (a first ministers) meeting.' When asked about Smith's referendum legislation during a press conference in Washington on Tuesday, Carney said Canada is stronger when the provinces work together. 'As an Albertan, I firmly believe that,' he said. 'You can always ask a question, but I know what I would respond clearly.' On Tuesday, Ford criticized talk of Alberta separating and said Canada must be united in its fight against the United States. 'This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, 'Oh, I'm leaving the country,'' he said.
