Alberta
Clean energy think tank says Alberta has the resources to lead Canada in carbon capture and storage

From the Canadian Energy Centre
By Cody Ciona
In August, two new CCS projects in the province got the green light to proceed
Alberta has strategic advantages in carbon capture and storage (CCS), a core technology to achieve carbon neutrality, says a director with the low-carbon energy think tank Clean Prosperity.
“I think it’s important for us to remember that we have the people, we have the geography and we have that great policy environment to be able to lead on CCS across the country,” Adam Sweet said during a recent webinar.
According to the International Energy Agency, 45 commercial CCS facilities are in operation worldwide.
Alberta has five operational CCS projects, which have stored roughly 14 million tonnes of CO2, and dozens more projects are in various development stages.
The province is situated atop the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, which boasts an abundance of potential storage space for captured carbon.
According to a study by Clean Prosperity, Alberta has around 79,000 megatonnes of pore space available in underground saline aquifers and mature or depleted oil and gas wells.
“One of the main reasons why CCS is so big in Alberta is, frankly, we have the geology,” said Sweet.
In August, two new CCS projects in Alberta got the green light to proceed.
Shell and partner ATCO EnPower announced they will build a new CCS project at the Scotford refinery and chemicals complex near Edmonton, while on a smaller scale, Entropy Inc. will add a second phase of CCS at its Glacier gas plant near Grande Prairie.
Combined, the projects are expected to capture and store about 810,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, the equivalent of taking nearly 200,000 cars off the road annually. Entropy’s project is to start in 2026 and Shell/ATCO’s in 2028.
Sweet said that in addition to Alberta’s geological ability to store vast quantities of CO2 underground, the province has advantages including the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) regulation, an industrial carbon price that has existed for nearly 20 years.
This regulation covers around 60 per cent of Alberta’s total emissions and around half of Canada’s total industrial emissions, according to Clean Prosperity. The ability to generate carbon credits makes TIER attractive for companies considering CCS.
“Those facilities that invest in carbon capture and storage and can reduce or can create these carbon credits by coming underneath the benchmark, they can then sell those carbon credits,” said Sweet.
He said that in addition to the TIER regulation, Alberta’s expertise and knowledge of energy production are another key asset that makes it an attractive jurisdiction for CCS.
“We often forget that we have knowledge and experience of working underground, as well as working with everything from the valves to the pipes and all the different pieces that exist in this low carbon energy economy.”
Government support is helping drive new CCS development.
Alberta is finalizing its carbon capture incentive program, which covers up to 12 per cent of eligible capital costs, while the federal government has implemented its CCS investment tax credit, which covers up to 60 per cent of capture equipment and 37.5 per cent of the cost for transportation, storage or usage equipment.
Both governments have supported CCS projects in the past: Shell’s $1.3 billion Quest project received $745 million from Alberta’s government and $120 million from Ottawa, while the $1.2 billion Alberta Carbon Trunk Line received $495 million from Alberta and $63.2 million from the federal government.
Alberta
CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.
During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.
Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).
Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.
How different?
If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.
And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.
Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.
Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.
Alberta
Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

Show your Alberta side. Buy Local. |
When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.
Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.
The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.
“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”
Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.
Quick facts
- This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
- In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
- Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
- Made in Alberta product catalogue website
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