Alberta
How natural gas supports one of Canada’s largest manufacturing sectors

Worker inspecting parts from plastic injection moulding machine in plastics factory. Getty Images photo
From the Canadian Energy Centre
‘When you think about the demand for more sustainable outcomes: clean air, clean water, clean energy, safe, nutritious, abundant food and electric vehicles, that’s more and more and more chemistry’
Canada’s chemical industry sold a record $72.7 billion of product last year amid recovery from COVID-19 and strong consumer demand, according to the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC).
Natural gas is a key input to the chemistry sector, the broad term that refers to manufacturing a myriad of products used in everyday items from plastics to agriculture and pharmaceuticals.
“Chemistry products go into 95 per cent of finished goods. It’s an important sector,” says CIAC president Bob Masterson.
“It’s a sector that can grow as long as we fancy improving our lives and building a better world for tomorrow.”
Chemicals in Canada
Canada’s chemistry industry is the country’s fourth largest manufacturing sector by value of sales after food ($147 billion), transportation equipment ($119 billion), and petroleum/coal products ($118 billion).
It is primarily centered in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec.
The CIAC publishes an annual report on the sector’s activity using Statistics Canada data, separated into two categories: chemicals overall, and industrial chemicals.
Chemicals overall includes manufacturing of soaps, cleaning compounds, paints, coatings and adhesives, pesticides and fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, rubbers and synthetic fibres, and basic chemicals.
Industrial chemicals refers to the manufacturing of intermediate products used as inputs by industries including plastic and rubber products, forest products, transportation equipment, clothing, perfume and cosmetics, construction and pharmaceuticals.
Global Growth
According to Vantage Market Research, the global chemical market was valued at US$584 billion in 2022. It’s expected to grow by more than 55 per cent in the coming years to reach US$917 billion by 2030.
This isn’t just driven population growth, Masterson says.
“When you think about the demand for more sustainable outcomes: clean air, clean water, clean energy, safe, nutritious, abundant food and electric vehicles, that’s more and more and more chemistry,” he says.
“Some of the predictions are that the volumes of chemistry will double in the next 20 years. Canada and Alberta in particular are exceptionally well positioned to help meet future market demand for these products. The demand is not going away. There’s no question about that.”
Jobs
In 2022, Canada’s chemicals sector directly employed 90,800 people, or approximately the population size of Sudbury, Ontario. The industry paid about $7 billion in salary and wages.
That’s the direct impact of employment in the chemistry sector, but the CIAC estimates the full benefit to Canadians to be much higher as a result of indirect economic activity it supports.
CIAC estimates that every job in Canada’s chemistry sector creates another five indirect jobs in other parts of the economy. This means the sector supported 454,000 jobs across Canada in 2022.
Industrial chemicals alone directly employed 17,100 people and indirectly supported 85,600 jobs in the broader Canadian economy last year, the CIAC says.
Rising Trade
At a value of $72.7 billion, Canada’s overall chemical industry sales were their highest ever in 2022 – a 30 per cent increase compared to 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Industrial chemicals sales reached a record $34.2 billion, a 32 per cent increase compared to 2019.
Exports also increased last year, rising to a value of $52.8 billion compared to $45.9 billion in 2021. Of that, the sector exported $24.8 billion of industrial chemicals, up from $22.5 billion the previous year.
The United States is Canada’s main customer for chemical exports, representing 76 per cent of exports or $40.1 billion in 2022. The next largest export markets are China ($1.86 billion), the Netherlands ($1.7 billion), and the United Kingdom ($1.1 billion).
The Canada Advantage
Canada has distinct advantages as a chemical manufacturer and exporter including growing access to global markets, CIAC says.
In Alberta, the main advantage is access to low-cost natural gas resources – specifically valuable natural gas liquids like ethane, propane and butane.
“The rich abundance of natural gas liquids that come out of the ground when we drill for natural gas let Alberta be a low-cost chemistry producer despite being pretty much the only large chemistry industry worldwide that’s not on tidewater,” Masterson says.
Responsible Care
Since 1985, Canada’s chemistry industry has operated under an initiative called Responsible Care that encourages companies to innovate for safer and greener products.
CIAC reports that Responsible Care is now practiced in 73 countries and by 96 of the 100 largest chemical producers in the world.
Since 2005, CIAC members have reduced CO2 equivalent emissions by 13 per cent; reduced sulphur dioxide emissions by 94 per cent, and virtually eliminated large scale safety incidents. Since 2012, CIAC members have also reduced net water consumption by 13 per cent.
“We’re not standing in place,” Masterson says.
Alberta
Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

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.”

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.”
“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.”
“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.”
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
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
Related information
-
2025 Federal Election2 days ago
Conservatives promise to ban firing of Canadian federal workers based on COVID jab status
-
Business1 day ago
Is Government Inflation Reporting Accurate?
-
2025 Federal Election1 day ago
Carney’s Hidden Climate Finance Agenda
-
Environment2 days ago
Experiments to dim sunlight will soon be approved by UK government: report
-
International2 days ago
Pope Francis Got Canadian History Wrong
-
Censorship Industrial Complex2 days ago
Is free speech over in the UK? Government censorship reaches frightening new levels
-
2025 Federal Election1 day ago
When it comes to pipelines, Carney’s words flow both ways
-
2025 Federal Election1 day ago
Study links B.C.’s drug policies to more overdoses, but researchers urge caution