25 facts about the Canadian oil and gas industry in 2023: Facts 21 to 25

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 next 5 days we will post all 25 amazing facts, 5 at a time. Here are facts 21 to 25.

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.

21. Projected Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) in Canada has a bright future

Global carbon capture capacity and worldwide spending trends to date underline the fact that the future is bright for Canadian investments in CCUS. Assuming that appropriate government policies and regulations are put in place, Canada can expect to see further project announcements and increased investment in the technology. Canada will likely emerge as a CCUS heavyweight given the prevailing policy environment and the existential need for oil sands players to decarbonize. Rystad Energy estimates that Canada alone could account for around 20 per cent of cumulative carbon capture demand between 2023 and 2030.

Source: Derived from Rystad Energy

Nuclear and Renewables

22. Nuclear energy a stable source of electricity production in Canada

Nuclear power plants have been producing electricity in Canada since the 1960s. As of 2022, four nuclear power plants operate in Canada: three in Ontario and one in New Brunswick. Canada’s share of nuclear electricity production has remained relatively stable over the past few decades. In 1990, nuclear energy accounted for about 14.8 per cent of Canada’s electricity production; by 2021, this share had decreased only slightly to about 14.3 per cent.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency

23. Canada’s trade in renewable products is modest

Trade is an essential component of Canada’s economic activity, accounting for about two-thirds of the economy and employing 3.3 million people. In 2021, Canada imported solar panel products with a value of CAN$653 million and wind turbine products with a value of CAN$91 million. The value of the solar panels and wind turbines Canada imported was much higher than the CAN$260 million export value for both products.

Source: Government of Canada, Trade Data Online

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

24. Global LNG production projected to rise

Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) production is expected to reach nearly 720 million tonnes by 2035. That year the United States is projected to be the world’s leading LNG producer at 259 million tonnes, followed by Qatar at 121 million tonnes, and Australia at 78 million tonnes. Russian LNG supply was expected to grow to 54 million tonnes by 2035, but this is now in question, leaving opportunities for countries such as Canada to fill the void. In fact, by 2035, Canada could be the fifth largest LNG producer at nearly 33 million tonnes of LNG.

Source: Derived from Rystad Energy

25. Canadian LNG exports could help reduce global emissions

Asia is a significant source of CO2 emissions. Canadian LNG exports can help in reducing emissions from the Asian energy mix. If Canada increases its LNG export capacity to Asia, by 2050 net global emissions could decline by 188 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. That would have the annual impact of taking 41 million cars off the road.

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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Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

Published on April 23, 2025

Government of Alberta

The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.

Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.

Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.

“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.

On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.

The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the 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 with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.

“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”

Ritu Khullar, chief justice of Alberta

“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”

Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

Quick facts

The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.

Alberta

CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

Published on April 19, 2025

Todayville

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.