Alberta
It’s Red Deer University!
From Red Deer College and Todayville
One year after learning that it would become a university, Red Deer College reached another major milestone today, when the Government of Alberta came to RDC to announce the institution’s new name of Red Deer University.
“A university’s name is not only about higher education and programs it offers, but it serves as a beacon of pride for the community it serves. I look forward to officially celebrating this new name following Red Deer College’s successful transition to become Alberta’s newest university,” says Marlin Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education.
The historic naming announcement was the culmination of months of community consultations, research and visioning undertaken by RDC and external consultants, Will Creative and Stormy Lake Consulting. The extensive consultation process involved nearly 400 people from Red Deer, Ponoka, Stettler and Rocky Mountain House, and it was designed to help RDC learn exactly what the College means to those it serves.
“We heard from a wide range of people, and their feedback reinforced the intense pride people have both in Red Deer College and the community in which we live,” says Morris Flewwelling, Board of Governors Chair. “People have a strong emotional connection with this institution, and that was a factor we considered when reviewing name options. We need to be grounded in our significant history as we look ahead to all that Red Deer University will become.”
As part of the naming process, RDC staff and consultants looked at best practices for post-secondary naming from across three continents and reviewed nearly 100 workable options that could capture the future brand. Coupled with the community feedback, Red Deer University emerged as the outstanding option to capture the legacy of RDC and its future as a comprehensive regional teaching university.
“The name, Red Deer University, is a good starting point for us as we continue to develop our institutional identity. I appreciate that the name acknowledges the grassroots of what the university will stand on, which is the legacy built by Red Deer College, while also reflecting our expansion and commitment to post-secondary education,” says Esther Schilling, Vice President Academic with the Students’ Association of Red Deer College.
Red Deer University will continue to build on the 55-year history of the College, offering students a breadth of programming and credentials across Trades, certificates, diplomas and degrees. By offering innovative, practical and sought-after programs, the University will continue to provide the programs that students, businesses and industry partners identify as vital to the region, and this mirrors feedback from the recent community consultations.
“When community members told us what they wanted our University to become, they used words such as transformative, recognized and innovative. With the ongoing support from our community members and partners, we will forge a new path for our University that represents all of these elements,” says Joel Ward, President & CEO. “Looking ahead, we are Red Deer College, and we are Red Deer University. We’re committed to keeping what makes us great, as a College, as we become the University of our future.”
From the Fraser Institute
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
Undoubtedly some of the motorists driving past The Whistle Stop Cafe at Mirror on Tuesday morning thought it was an April Fools prank. It wasn’t.
Chris Scott, owner of the gas station at The Whistle Stop Cafe offered a one day promotion on April 1st. Scott sold 8000 litres of regular gasoline for $0.80/ litre.
The promotion was funded by Scott and the Alberta Prosperity Project. In this video posted to his social media, Chris Scott explains why they did it.
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