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Premier Kenney addresses the province about a 1.5 billion investment in Keystone XL

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From the Province of Alberta

Provincial investment kick-starts KXL pipeline

A $1.5 billion government investment in the Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline project will accelerate construction, ensuring it is operational by 2023

The Government of Alberta has finalized an agreement with Calgary-based TC Energy Corporation to provide financial support to accelerate construction of the KXL pipeline starting April 1. This investment will include $1.5 billion in equity investment in 2020 followed by a $6 billion loan guarantee in 2021. The project is expected to be completed and in service in 2023.

This agreement is the culmination of six months of negotiations, as well as rigorous vetting by government officials and outside industry experts to ensure the success of this project, while minimizing risk to taxpayers.

The government is backstopping the project to enable TC Energy to begin immediate construction on the Alberta portion of the pipeline. This will ensure the earliest possible date of completion. The project will create over 1,400 direct and 5,400 indirect jobs in Alberta during construction and will generate an estimated $30 billion in tax and royalty revenues for future generations of Albertans and Canadians.

“We cannot wait for the end of the pandemic and the global recession to act. There are steps we must make now to build our future focussed on jobs, the economy, and pipelines. Today we are moving forward with a project that is essential to our future prosperity. This investment in Keystone XL is a bold move to re-take control of our province’s economic destiny and put it firmly back in the hands of the owners of our natural resources, the people of Alberta. The Government of Alberta is confident that this is a wise investment. After construction is complete, we will be able to sell our shares at profit. In addition, the project will have a net return of over $30 billion to the Alberta taxpayer through royalties and higher prices for Alberta oil in the next 20 years.”

Jason Kenney, Premier

Once operational, Keystone XL will provide North America with a stable, secure supply of crude oil, reducing reliance on supply from OPEC. The pipeline will carry at least 830,000 barrels per day of Alberta crude, significantly increasing the province’s takeaway capacity and helping to protect the value of its energy resources.

Right now Alberta’s oil export capacity is limited by the lack of pipelines. Without the ability to export more oil, there is no incentive for producers to invest in more production in Alberta. Completing KXL will signal to the oil and gas industry, and to investors around the world, that they have a future in Alberta. Without more pipelines, the future of our oil and gas industry is capped; with today’s announcement, employers and investors should have the confidence to maintain existing projects and to spend new money on new projects.

Construction will begin immediately in Alberta, at the Canada-US border, in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.

The Keystone XL Pipeline offers a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible way to deliver crude oil from western Canadian oil fields to Gulf Coast refineries in the U.S. The project will run from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska and will cover 1,947 kilometres.

Given the significance of this issue, the Government will present a related motion for debate and vote this week.

Quick facts

Project details

  • KXL will provide more than 830,000 barrels per day of crude oil to Gulf Coast Refineries
  • Covers 1,947 kilometres from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska
  • 259 kilometres of pipelines will be constructed in Alberta
  • At least 6,800 direct and indirect jobs in Alberta and over 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in Canada
  • Project is expected to be completed in 2023

Financial details (CDN$)

  • Government of Alberta will contribute up to $1.5B (CAD) in equity investment in 2020
  • The government will backstop this project with a $6 billion loan guarantee in 2021
  • TC Energy will reimburse the government of Alberta 12 months after oil is flowing through the pipeline

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

Is There Any Canadian Province More Proud of their Premier Today…

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Prior to Trumps inauguration event and announcement was made that Trump would not be imposing the 25% tariffs…

Which means, Canada seriously dodged a bullet here.

And while the Liberals will most likely frame this as, their success in showing, Bad Orange Man, that they’re tough and ready to burn down what is left of our economy, throwing Alberta under the bus, first…through a nuclear option…

Premier Smith rode this challenge out like the true champion we knew that she would be.

It’s hard to say if this was a legality matter in the grander scheme…or if the 25% tariffs would have truly been as big of an impact on the US…

One thing is clear, however…

Smith was ready to go to the tables with the Trump administration and opt for diplomacy over threats…which should be what we expect from our leaders.

And should these 25% tariffs have gone through…I’m more than sure a Plan B would have been brought out in civil conversations, over screeching rhetoric.

“She’s treasonous”, they screeched.

“She’s supporting her friends in Oil and Gas”, they relent.

“She should put Canada first”, they echo…

And let’s just address these…

Is Walmart beholden to Campbells soup? Fruit of the Loom? Kraft?

Or does Walmart sell products that helps keep their doors open?

Walmart is not beholden to any product…just like Premier Smith isn’t. We have 26% of our GDP – the largest portion – owed to Alberta O&G, something that we have a limited trade partner with, due to the Liberal – Anti-Alberta/Anti-O&G/Anti-Pipeline attitude that wants to spend us further in debt with unreliable and expensive “Renewables”.

What does Alberta get from renewables?

A higher cost for energy, in an affordability crisis, created by the same people who continue to push them…sounds like a terrible deal, for Albertans, and something a true leader would Not Favor.


When Walmart sits down to hash out a deal with Heinz, are they committing treason because they haven’t shown their allegiance to their own, ‘Great Value’ brand Ketchup?

No…other provinces have their own industries and resources, which they are free to continue developing independent of the federal government, as is suitable and supportive of their own economies…Alberta isn’t competing with them, nor Canada as a whole.

Alberta through industry and resource, actually supports Canada through a grand imbalance on “Equalization Payments”…

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As do we through paying 50% more into the Canada Pension Plan, than we actually get out of the Canada Pension Plan…to the tune of a $334 Billion Dollars.


And as for this “Team Canada”, horseshit…

The title Premier of Alberta, should hold some clues as to who Premier Smith should be advocating for…as she is the Premier of Alberta and Not the Prime Minister, nor leader in the Liberal Party that has created this fiasco, to begin with.

Rail, as they may…other provinces can’t cast a vote in her support, either way…

None of the other provinces, through Members of Parliament, nor through Premiers, came to support Alberta and our economy through a number of Federal Bills that railed on our provincial resources…

Worse yet…these hypocrites cash cheques from our province, while telling us how to diversify our economy…to which I’d state one thing unequivocally…

If we wanted to be a Have Not Province…like you are…we’ll come and ask you for your advice.

Until then…

I’ll hold my Alberta Flag Higher than my Canadian…

And be proud today, of having the only Premier in the country of Canada, worthy of any praise today!

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Alberta

Trump delays implementation 25% tariffs: Premier Smith response

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement, welcoming the U.S. tariff reprieve and calling for strategic action:

“Alberta is pleased to see that today President Donald Trump has decided to refrain from imposing tariffs on Canadian goods at this time as they study the issue further.

“We appreciate the implied acknowledgement that this is a complex and delicate issue with serious implications for American and Canadian workers, businesses and consumers given the integration of our markets, along with our critical energy and security partnership.

“Avoiding tariffs will save hundreds of thousands of Canadian and American jobs across every sector. As an example, declining to impose U.S. tariffs on Canadian energy preserves the viability of dozens of U.S. refineries and facilities that upgrade Alberta crude, and the jobs of tens of thousands of Americans employed at them.

“Despite the promising news today, the threat of U.S. tariffs is still very real. As a country, we need to immediately take the following steps to preserve and strengthen our economic and security partnership with the United States, and to avoid the future imposition of tariffs:

  1. Focus on diplomacy and refrain from further talk of retaliatory measures, including export tariffs or cutting off energy to the U.S. Having spoken with the President, as well as dozens of governors, senators, members of congress and allies of the incoming administration, I am convinced that the path to a positive resolution with our U.S. allies is strong and consistent diplomacy and working in good faith towards shared priorities. The worst possible response to today’s news would be the federal government or premiers declaring “victory” or escalating tensions with unnecessary threats against the United States.
  2. Negotiate ways to increase what Canadians and Americans buy from one another. As an example, the United States should look at purchasing more oil, timber and agricultural products from Canada, while Canada should look at purchasing more American gas turbines, military equipment and the computer hardware needed to build our growing AI data centre sector. Finding ways to increase trade in both directions is critical to achieving a win-win for both countries.
  3. Double down on border security. Within the next month, all border provinces should either by themselves, or in partnership with the federal government, deploy the necessary resources to secure our shared border from illegal drugs and migration.
  4. Announce a major acceleration of Canada’s 2 per cent of GDP NATO target. This is clearly a shared priority that benefits both of our nations. There is no excuse for further delay.
  5. Crack down on immigration streams and loopholes that are known to permit individuals hostile to Canada and the United States to enter our country, and restore immigration levels and rules to those under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
  6. Immediately repeal all federal anti-energy policies (production cap, Clean Electricity Regulations, Impact Assessment Act [Bill C-69]) and fast track Northern Gateway and Energy East projects pre-approvals.”
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