Smith Ditches Crown Corporation Plan for Alberta Natural Gas

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government is unlikely to create a Crown corporation to build out natural gas pipelines in the province. The decision comes after a leaked report recommended the province establish two Crown corporations to spur new transmission lines and meet demand for oil production and artificial intelligence data centers.

The cabinet report, which was leaked earlier this year, estimated that creating the Crown corporations would cost between $53.9 million and $162.6 million. In contrast, building a major natural gas pipeline could have a price tag in the billions.

Smith argued that her government is working to attract private sector companies to build new infrastructure and boost supply. She said that Calgary-based TC Energy, which owns much of Alberta's natural gas transmission infrastructure, has limited plans to expand its capacity beyond 2030 unless it receives returns on investment at rates similar to those in the United States.

Smith also dismissed concerns from Opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, who noted that government intervention could lead to higher energy prices for Albertans. Smith argued that boosting supply is what's needed to avoid price increases, not constraining supply as it currently is.