The announcement is the result of months of consultation and study by an expert panel convened to help the government write the policy.
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She did note that Calgary is feeling the brunt of the current economic downturn, possibly sooner than most communities.
Oil industry leaders were initially supportive of the proposal.
“This is a game changer for Alberta and Canada”, she said.
Rather, he quickly ceded the stage to Notley, giving her a national podium from which to tout Alberta’s new climate plan, which he called “historic” and “a strong positive step in the right direction”. This new, hippie-friendly leadership produces a realistic strategy, including a meaningful carbon tax, to begin to address the high carbon emissions from an oil and gas producing province. “I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to have a successful discussion, and I’ll be working with the industry to see how we can continue to make our case”.
It’s estimated the carbon tax will cost Albertans about $3 billion per year.
“This is about a global conversation about Alberta’s energy products”, said Phillips, in an interview with CBC News.
Samir Kayande, director of energy research at ITG Investment Research, said it seems the cost to oilsands producers will be relatively modest – in the order of 30 cents a barrel more for a steam-driven project.
The province plans to have renewable account for one-third of power by 2030, the same year coal stations without carbon capture technology are set for a phase-out.
That status has prompted fierce opposition from environmental groups to proposed pipelines that would allow the industry to access new markets, including the recently rejected Keystone XL pipeline, proposed by TransCanada Corporation.
Notley will join her fellow premiers from the nine other Canadian provinces and three territories in Ottawa on Monday in their first meeting with newly elected Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“It’s unclear who will be bearing the majority of the costs to shut down our coal-powered generation – consumers as consumers, or consumers as taxpayers through government bail-outs”, he said.
Brian Ferguson, Chief Executive of oil sands producer Cenovus Energy Inc.: “It enables Alberta to be a leader, not only in climate policy, but also in technology, innovation, collaborative solutions and energy development”.
If the plan is approved, the province of Alberta will impose a tax of $20 per ton on carbon-dioxide emissions beginning in 2017; it will increase to $30 in 2018.
Jean noted the NDP government’s decision to accelerate the retirement of the province’s 18 coal-fired power plants could lead to the “most dramatic power price spike in Alberta history”.
“We’ve got what the World Bank says is the most effective carbon pricing anywhere in the world, so we’re going to talk together and to the prime minister about our strategy”.
“These policies are important first steps, but much bigger emission reductions will be needed for Alberta to do its part to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius”.
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The government also adds in the press release that they will be setting an overall oil sands emission limit of 100 megatonnes, with the provision for new upgrading and co-generation.
