Alberta Government Silent on Net Zero Emissions Agenda

The Alberta government has been criticized for not releasing a comprehensive public progress report on its net zero emissions (NZE) agenda, despite three years since it was introduced by Premier Danielle Smith. A review of partial records obtained through Access to Information revealed that the decision not to publish the report was made internally, and this lack of transparency is raising concerns about the government's commitment to transparency.

The Alberta Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan (EREDP) was released in April 2023 with a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 2050. However, the plan also included an increase in the industrial carbon tax to $170 per tonne by 2030, which would have cost Alberta industry around $250 billion over the next two decades.

Lennie Kaplan, a former senior manager at the Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance, estimates that NZE could reduce Canada's economy by a cumulative $2.1 trillion between 2025 and 2050, with $559 billion of this negative economic fallout occurring in Alberta alone. He also predicts that Albertans' average wage rates would decline by $3.00 per hour by 2050.

Kaplan has called on the Office of the Auditor General to initiate a comprehensive audit on whether the Alberta government has adequate systems and processes in place for planning, monitoring, and reporting on NZE. He also advocates for a provincial referendum on the NZE agenda to allow Albertans to decide its future.