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Alberta

A simple question from a daughter. A special connection to a horse. Another chance to defeat the demons.

Published

4 years ago

4 minute read

If you know the racetracks in Saskatchewan and Alberta there’s a very good chance you’ve run into the name Tyler Redwood.  Tyler has been racing Standardbreds his entire adult life.  Driver of the year in Saskatchewan in 2009, 2011, and 2012, he was on top of his game until addictions knocked him off his horse so to speak.  One late fall night in September 2012, Redwood drove an ATV into a tractor, shattering his jaw and threatening his career.   He was losing his battle with alcohol and drugs.  He was falling into depression. He tried to take his own life.

Fortunately, Tyler Redwood kept coming back to his horses.  There was something in the relationship with an animal who needed love and a horse lover who had something to give.  Shoeing a horse,  brushing a horse, just spending time with an animal, especially the ones others are giving up on. Redwood has always enjoyed sharing a little love with the majestic animals.  On his toughest days he admits horses give him something special in return.

One after another the tracks closed in Saskatchewan and Redwood was faced with a life changing decision.  Would he move onto a different pursuit?  Or would he pursue his passion somewhere else?  In the end it was his passion that would save him.  Tyler moved his family to Central Alberta and became a bit of a fixture at Century Downs and The Track on 2.  But moving his loved ones away from their family members was a struggle, especially considering his demons followed him.  As Redwood tried to establish himself in Alberta, depression was sometimes getting the better of him.   Suicidal and dependent, spending all his free time isolated from his family in the garage,  it was a question from his daughter that sparked the much-needed change in Tyler’s life.

In the clear way only children speak in she asked her father why he was spending all his time in the garage and not with her and her 2 siblings.  The question cut Redwood to the bone.  The next day he pursued the help he would need to put him on a path to recovery.   Other than one setback on August 11, 2018, Tyler has been strong.

One of his great loves now is his relationship with his horse Star Flight.  Star Flight was struggling on the track just like Redwood when he got a chance to ride her.  He felt something in her and a conversation with the owner turned into an eventual purchase.  The two troubled souls bonded and the relationship sparkled on the track. The struggling horse started to win.  Six victories later Star Flight was a finalist for Claiming Filly / Mare of the Year at the 2021 Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Awards.

With a new love in his life, his children nearby, and horses to spend time with Tyler Redwood has come to recognize a new strength. Now he feels strong enough to share his story with others who are struggling.  In the following video he shares a beautiful message on behalf of The Canada Suicide Prevention Service.  Here’s “Redwood Redemption” an inspirational testament to the day to day struggles of an Alberta horseman.

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, the Canada Suicide Prevention Service is available 24/7 for voice and 4pm to 12am ET for text.

The Canada Suicide Prevention Service

Need help? Call and connect with our responders now at 1-833-456-4566.  

Between 2 pm and 10 pm (Alberta time) you can send a text to 45645

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After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

Published on April 2, 2025

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Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:

“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.

“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.

“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.

“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.

“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.

“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”

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Alberta

Energy sector will fuel Alberta economy and Canada’s exports for many years to come

Published on April 2, 2025

By

From the Fraser Institute

By Jock Finlayson

By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.

Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.

In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.

Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.

The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.

Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.

Jock Finlayson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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