Smith Rejects Crown Corporation for Alberta Natural Gas

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced on Saturday that her government is unlikely to establish a Crown corporation to build out natural gas pipelines in the province. This decision comes after a leaked report recommended the creation of Crown corporations to spur new natural gas transmission lines and meet growing demand from oil production and artificial intelligence data centers.

The report's recommendation was met with concerns that a public-sector solution would not be necessary, as private companies have expressed interest in investing in new infrastructure. Smith stated that her government wants to see more competition in the market, citing TC Energy's 'monopoly' over natural gas in Alberta.

She also brushed off concerns about government intervention driving up energy prices, instead attributing potential price increases to limited supply rather than public sector involvement.