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25 facts about the Canadian oil and gas industry in 2023: Facts 6 to 10

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From the Canadian Energy Centre

One of the things that really makes us Albertans, and Canadians is what we do and how we do it.  It’s taking humanity a while to figure it out, but we seem to be grasping just how important access to energy is to our success.  This makes it important that we all know at least a little about the industry that drives Canadians and especially Albertans as we make our way in the world.

The Canadian Energy Centre has compiled a list of 25 (very, extremely) interesting facts about the oil and gas industry in Canada. Over the 5 days we will post all 25 amazing facts, 5 at a time. Here are facts 6 to 10. 

The Canadian Energy Centre’s 2023 reference guide to the latest research on Canada’s oil and gas industry

The following summary facts and data were drawn from 30 Fact Sheets and Research Briefs and various Research Snapshots that the Canadian Energy Centre released in 2023. For sources and methodology and for additional data and information, the original reports are available at the research portal on the Canadian Energy Centre website: canadianenergycentre.ca.

6. Alberta among top provincial spenders on environmental protection

Industries are not alone in spending money on environmental protection; provincial governments do as well. Total provincial government spending on environmental protection between 2008 and 2021 was nearly $143.5 billion. In 2021, Alberta spent $22.6 billion or 15.7 per cent of all provincial expenditures on the environment, while its proportion of the national population was 11.6 per cent.

Source: Statistics Canada, Tables 10-10-0005-01 and 17-10-0005-01; and authors’ calculations

Economics of the Oil and Gas Sector

7. Revenue contribution from the oil and gas sector: $578.7 billion between 2000 and 2021

The gross revenue contribution to federal, provincial, and municipal governments received exclusively from the oil and gas sector was $578.7 billion between 2000 and 2021, an average of $26.3 billion per year. The $578.7 billion figure includes $461.6 billion in direct provincial revenues, $99.6 billion in direct federal revenues, and $17.3 billion in indirect federal, provincial, and municipal taxes.

Sources: Statistics Canada, 2022 (a, b, c, d), Statistics Canada 2023 (a,b), and CAPP, 2022

8. Projected government revenues from Canada’s oil sands sector: US$231 billion from 2023 to 2032

Government revenues from Canada’s oil sands sector (which includes provincial royalties and federal and provincial corporate taxes) are expected to rise from US$17.1 billion in 2023 to US$28.7 billion in 2032—nearly US$231 billion cumulatively—assuming the price of oil is a flat US$80 per barrel. Both projections would be about 20 per cent more in Canadian dollars at the current exchange rate.

Source: Derived from Rystad Energy

9. Projected capex from Canadian oil sands sector: nearly US$113 billion over the next decade

Capex from the Canadian oil sands sector is projected to reach US$112.7 billion over the next decade. Assuming a flat US$80 per barrel for the price of oil, oil sands sector capex is expected to rise from US$10.1 billion in 2023 to US$14.2 billion in 2032. Those projections would be about 20 per cent more in Canadian dollars at the current exchange rate.

Source: Derived from Rystad Energy

10. Canadian overall upstream oil sector supply costs have declined over 35% since 2015

The cost of supply for the Canadian upstream oil sector is the minimum constant dollar price needed to recover all capital expenditures, operating costs, royalties, taxes, and earn a specified return on investment. Supply costs indicate whether the upstream oil sector is economically viable.

Supply costs within Canada’s upstream oil sector declined significantly between 2015 and 2022. At the end of 2015, the Canadian upstream oil sector’s weighted average breakeven price was nearly US$76.00 per barrel of Brent. By the end of 2022, that weighted average breakeven price was US$49.09 per barrel of Brent, a decline of US$26.91 per barrel, or over 35 per cent since 2015. This number incorporates different phases of oil production including producing, under development, and discovery.

Source: Derived from Rystad Energy

CEC Research Briefs

Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) Research Briefs are contextual explanations of data as they relate to Canadian energy. They are statistical analyses released periodically to provide context on energy issues for investors, policymakers, and the public. The source of profiled data depends on the specific issue. This research brief is a compilation of previous Fact Sheets and Research Briefs released by the centre in 2023. Sources can be accessed in the previously released reports. All percentages in this report are calculated from the original data, which can run to multiple decimal points. They are not calculated using the rounded figures that may appear in charts and in the text, which are more reader friendly. Thus, calculations made from the rounded figures (and not the more precise source data) will differ from the more statistically precise percentages we arrive at using the original data sources.

About the author

This CEC Research Brief was compiled by Ven Venkatachalam, Director of Research at the Canadian Energy Centre.

Acknowledgements

The author and the Canadian Energy Centre would like to thank and acknowledge the assistance of an anonymous reviewer for the review of this paper.

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Alberta

Red Deer’s first new courthouse in 40 years expected to open early in 2025

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Front entrance of the new Red Deer Justice Centre.

New courthouse in downtown Red Deer will improve justice services for the region’s growing population and address space constraints.

Red Deer residents are one step closer to enhanced justice services in a state-of-the-art facility. The newly built Red Deer Justice Centre will replace the city’s existing outdated court facilities that have been operating at capacity. The new centre has space for 16 courtrooms, with 12 courtrooms fully built and the ability to add up to four additional courtrooms for future use.

With construction complete, Alberta Infrastructure is turning the building over to Alberta Justice, who will outfit the facility with furniture and modern equipment to prepare the building for the public. The centre is expected to officially open and begin operating in early 2025.

“This new, state-of-the-art courthouse will increase access to justice services for residents of Red Deer and central Alberta. The new facility will meet the space and service needs of residents for generations to come.”

Pete Guthrie, Minister of Infrastructure

Construction on the new Red Deer Justice Centre began in August 2020. The new centre includes spaces for alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom able to accommodate smudging. Additionally, it will include modern technology to replace legacy systems at the current courthouse.

“Along with building a new justice centre for Red Deer, Alberta’s government is preparing to expand pre-court services, such as mediation, in Red Deer early in 2025. This new facility has the space to offer these services while also allowing more court cases to be heard, increasing Albertans’ access to justice.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice

“As MLA for Red Deer-North, I am thrilled this new justice centre will open its doors to serve our growing community soon. When it opens, it will provide essential space and resources to support timely legal services, reflecting our commitment to improve legal access for the people of Red Deer and central Alberta.”

Adriana LaGrange, MLA for Red Deer-North

“Central Alberta is a wonderful, attractive place for individuals to work, live and raise families, and many are choosing our region for these reasons. The Red Deer Justice Centre will improve justice services for a growing population of individuals, families and businesses. This centre is a testament to Red Deer and central Alberta’s growth and our government’s commitment to it.”

Jason Stephan, MLA for Red Deer-South

Building the vital public infrastructure that Albertans need, creating jobs and attracting investment is integral to Alberta’s economic development. The project supported about 1,100 construction-related jobs from start to finish.

Quick facts

  • Red Deer’s current court facilities include seven courtrooms that were built in the 1980s.
    • Since then, Red Deer’s population has almost doubled.
  • The approved project funding is about $203.1 million.
  • The new 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2) Red Deer Justice Centre is built to LEED Silver standards to ensure reduced energy consumption and operational costs and increased durability of the building.
  • The new facility was designed by Group2 Architecture and Interior Design, in conjunction with justice facility specialists DLR Group.
  • There are currently five courthouse capital projects in planning or design throughout the province.
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Alberta

Ottawa’s oil and gas emissions cap will hit Alberta with a wallop

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From the Fraser Institute

By Kenneth P. Green

Even if Canada eliminated all its GHG emissions expected in 2030 due to the federal cap, the emission reduction would equal only four-tenths of one per cent of global emissions—a reduction unlikely to have any impact on the trajectory of the climate in any detectable manner or produce any related environmental, health or safety benefits.

After considerable waiting, the Trudeau government released on Monday draft regulations to cap greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canada’s oil and gas producers.

The proposed regulations would set a cap on GHG emissions equivalent to 35 per cent of the emissions produced in 2019 and create a GHG emissions “cap and trade” system to enable oil and gas producers (who cannot reduce emissions enough to avoid the cap) to buy credits from other producers able to meet the cap. Producers unable to meet the cap will also be able to obtain emission credits (of up to 20 per cent of their needed emission reductions) by investing in decarbonization programs or by buying emission “offsets” in Canada’s carbon markets.

According to the government, the cap will “cap pollution, drive innovation, and create jobs in the oil and gas industry.” But in reality, while the cap may well cap pollution and drive some innovation, according to several recent analyses it won’t create jobs in the oil and gas industry and will in fact kill many jobs.

For example, the Conference Board of Canada think-tank estimates that the cap would reduce Canada’s GDP by up to $1 trillion between 2030 and 2040, kill up to 151,300 jobs across Canada by 2030, and national economic growth from 2023 to 2030 would slow from 15.3 per cent to 14.3 per cent.

Not surprisingly, Alberta would be hardest hit. According to the Board, from 2023 to 2030, the province’s economic growth would fall from an estimated 17.8 per cent to 13.3 per cent and employment growth would fall from 15.8 per cent to 13.6 per cent over the same period. Alberta government revenues from the sector would decline by 4.5 per cent in 2030 compared to a scenario without the cap. As a result, Alberta government revenues would be $4.5 billion lower in nominal terms in fiscal year 2030/31. And between 54,000 to 91,500 of Canada’s job losses would occur in Alberta.

Another study by Deloitte estimates that, due to the federal cap, Alberta will see 3.6 per cent less investment, almost 70,000 fewer jobs, and a 4.5 per cent decrease in the province’s economic output (i.e. GDP) by 2040. Ontario would lose more than 15,000 jobs and $2.3 billion from its economy by 2040. And Quebec would lose more than 3,000 jobs and $0.4 billion from its economy during the same period.

Overall, according to Deloitte, Canada would experience an economic loss equivalent to 1.0 per cent of GDP, translating into lower wages, the loss of nearly 113,000 jobs and a 1.3 per cent reduction in government tax revenues. (For context, Canada’s economic growth in 2023 was only 1.1 per cent.)

And what will Canadians get for all that economic pain?

In my study published last year by the Fraser Institute, I found that, even if Canada eliminated all its GHG emissions expected in 2030 due to the federal cap, the emission reduction would equal only four-tenths of one per cent of global emissions—a reduction unlikely to have any impact on the trajectory of the climate in any detectable manner or produce any related environmental, health or safety benefits.

Clearly, the Trudeau government’s new proposed emissions cap on the oil and gas sector will impose significant harms on Canada’s economy, Canadian workers and our quality of life—and hit Alberta with a wallop. And yet, as a measure intended to avert harmful climate change, it’s purely performative (like many of the government’s other GHG regulations) and will generate too little emission reductions to have any meaningful impact on the climate.

In a world of rational policy development, where the benefits of government regulations are supposed to exceed their costs, policymakers would never consider this proposed cap. The Trudeau government will submit the plan to Parliament, and if the cap becomes law, it will await some other future government to undo the damage inflicted on Canadians and their families.

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