Canada Action on the proposed Teck Frontier Mine

#visionCanada2119

In an effort to help Albertans and Canadians understand each other and have meaningful conversations about energy, the environment, and the economy, Todayville presents this informative post from Canada Action. We invite you to share your questions, comments and concerns. Please note the first time you comment on a Todayville story you will be asked to register as a user. Once registered you are also invited to contribute your own original posts to Todayville’s front page. Thank you for taking part in these important community conversations.

Diagrams and thumbnail photo from Teck.com

From Canada Action

Teck Frontier Mine: 8 Facts You Must Know

With the federal government’s decision on the Teck Frontier Mine coming soon (in February), there’s some important details about this new oil sands project that need to be brought into the limelight.

Teck’s new oil sands mine in northern Alberta will be one of the most innovative projects of its kind to-date, making use of industry-leading technologies to:

> Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity

> Minimize water use and protect water quality

> Reclaim land as soon as mining begins

> Ensure safe, secure tailings storage with leading-edge technology

> Prevent or mitigate possible impacts to wildlife

Fact #1: Global Oil Demand is Growing

But before we discuss these further, it’s essential we are all reminded of the paramount fact that global oil demand is projected to grow by nearly 10 million barrels per day between now and 2040, as outlined in the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) most recent World Energy Outlook 2019.

Heck, that’s the whole reason why Teck has proposed this massive new oil sands mine in the first place. If oil sands growth forecasts by the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER)and U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) come even close to being true, with production increasing 50% by 2040 and even more so by 2050, the new Teck Frontier Mine is just a small part of the puzzle for Canada’s energy industry going forward.

We know about projected growth for oil and natural gas demand in the foreseeable future, so why would anyone not want Canada to have as much market share as possible? As one of the most transparent, regulated and environmentally responsible petroleum producers on the planet, it only makes sense that Canada should be one of the last producers “out of the pool.”

> Canadian Oil is in the World’s Best Interest: ESG Scorecard

> Canada Ranks 6th on Democracy Index 2018 (ESG Criteria)

> Canada Tops Environmental Performance Index Among Top 10 Oil Exporters

Canada’s record of oil and gas production is exemplified by Teck’s initiatives to make Frontier one of the best-in-class oil sands mines ever built in regards to both the environment and Indigenous support.

Fact #2: Land Reclamation Will Begin as Soon as Mining Starts

> Land reclamation will begin as mining progresses, adhering to strict regulations set forth by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)

> The actual footprint of active mining will be smaller than the total project area due to on-going reclamation efforts

> With a size of about 292 square kilometres, the mine’s total surface area is about half the size of Edmonton but this land will not be all disturbed at once

Fact #3: Frontier Will Have a Carbon Intensity Less than 50% of USA Refineries

> GHG emissions intensity of the Frontier project will be about 50% less than the oil sands industry average

> Carbon intensity of the Frontier project will be less than half of the oil currently refined in the United States

> Energy efficient mining processes and cogeneration are among the industry-leading technologies that will help reduce GHG emissions

Fact #4: Extensive Work on Prevention & Mitigation for Wildlife

> Extensive assessments of potential effects on fish, wildlife and their habitat have been conducted to ensure the right steps are taken to prevent and mitigate effects during operations and after the mine is closed

> Any affected wildlife habitat will be fully reclaimed to a “…self-sustaining ecosystem with local vegetation and wildlife.” – AER

Fact #5: Frontier Will Have the Lowest Water Use Intensity

> Teck’s Frontier Mine will have one of the lowest water use intensities in the oil sands

> About 90% of water used to process the bitumen will be recycled, minimizing fresh water withdrawals from the Athabasca river

> Off-stream water storage will help to reduce water withdrawals from the river during low flow periods

> Safeguards will ensure water quality is protected and there are no leaks into the water table

Fact #6: Leading-Edge Tailings Management & Technology

> Teck’s Frontier Mine project will use state-of-the-art practices to create a safe and secure placement for tailings

> Centrifuges will de-water tailings fluid before placement mined-out pits, eliminating the need for dams after operations cease and providing increased levels of security for tailings containment in the process

Fact #7: All 14 Indigenous Communities Support the Project

> All 14 Indigenous groups in the region where the Teck Frontier Mine is proposed support the project. They include:

Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
MikisewCree First Nation
Fort McKayFirst Nation
Fort Chipewyan Métis
Fort McKayMétis
Fort Mc Murray Métis1935
Fort McMurrayFirst Nation #468
MétisNation of Alberta- Region One and it’s member locals
Athabasca Landing Local # 2010
Buffalo Lake Local # 2002
ConklinLocal # 193
Lac La BicheLocal # 1909
Owl River Local # 1949
Willow Lake Local # 780

Fact #8: Teck Frontier Mine a Much-Needed Boon for the Energy Sector

> Frontier will employ up to 7,000 people during peak construction

> An additional 2,500 people will be employed throughout operations over a project life of 41 years

> 75,000 person-years of employment generated by the construction of Frontier

> $55 billion generated in provincial taxes and royalties

> $12 billion generated in federate corporate income and capital taxes

> $3.6 billion generated in municipal property taxes

Teck’s investment of $20.6 billion in northern Alberta comes at a time where a lack of new pipeline capacity and strangulating regulations have been choking the life out of one of Canada’s most valuable industries.

Frontier will create thousands of new employment opportunities, tens of billions in government revenues and provide a much-needed boost to an industry that has seen countless jobs and investor cash flee in droves to more competitive oil and gas producing jurisdictions over the past five years.

Much like the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, an approval of Teck’s Frontier Mine would help to restore investor confidence in Canada’s energy sector.

With the Trans Mountain Expansion, Keystone XL and Line 3 Replacement set to add more than a million barrels of additional pipeline capacity for Canada in the near future, it only makes sense that this project – with its low carbon intensity and leading-edge environmental initiatives – should provide some of the oil necessary to fill those pipes.

Learn more – Pipelines in Canada: What You Should Know

Canada Action is an entirely volunteer created grassroots movement encouraging Canadians to take action and work together in support of our vital natural resources sector. We believe it’s critical to educate Canadians about the social and economic benefits provided by the resource sector and industry’s commitment to world-class environmental stewardship. We’re strong supporters of Canada’s oil sands and the resource sector generally because we know how important these industries are to Canada’s present and future prosperity.

We’re committed to engaging Canadians in a more informed conversation about resource development, about how important it is to our society and about how we’re doing it well today and improving our practices for the future. We believe that by educating Canadians on the importance of the country’s resource sector – they’ll act on that information, stand up and make their voices count.

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Alberta

Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

Published on April 2, 2025

Government of Alberta

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.”

Alberta

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

Published on April 2, 2025

Todayville

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.