Alberta directs $176M to 16 emission-reducing projects

The Alberta government is putting $176 million into 16 projects in an effort to reduce carbon emissions in the province.

At an announcement Monday, Premier Jason Kenney explained the cash is coming from the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system and federal Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund (LCELF).

The projects are expected to eliminate almost seven million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

“That’s equivalent to eliminating emissions from the electricity used by a million homes,” Kenney said.

Kenney says this will lead to 5,600 new jobs.

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 1, 2021

“These projects are ready to start very soon. And this batch of funding will support about 5,600 jobs for Alberta’s construction workers, operators, teachers, electricians truck drivers, engineers, tradespeople, and many more.

Kenney believes these projects will also help inject $2 billion into Alberta’s economy.

“These investments will help us grow our economy and pave the way to an even brighter future for all Albertans by building on Alberta’s strong foundation as a responsible and innovative energy leader,” he said.

The 16 projects include initiatives from Capital Power, Canadian Pacific Railway, and Calgary aggregate Recycling.

Here's are a few of the projects receiving money from Alberta's shovel-ready program.

All 16 projects can be found here: https://t.co/3pOMcFk6uW pic.twitter.com/F8R5g5G92w

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 1, 2021

Capital Power will be using its grant to turn carbon dioxide into valuable carbon nanotubes, ultimately preventing emissions.

CP will be rising its money to retrofit three diesel trains to operate on low-carbon hydrogen. These trains will produce water vapour, meaning they are nearly emissions-free.

Calgary Aggregate Recycling, an Indigenous-owned concrete, asphalt, and recycling company, is building Canada’s first soil reuse facility with is cash injection.

Contaminated soil from construction sites will be processed into stone and sand products at the Calgary facility, turning waste that normally would go to the landfill into reusable products.

Announcement comes as world leaders gather for climate talks

The announcement coincides with the beginning of the United Nations Climate Change Conference underway in Glasgow, Scotland.

COP26, as it is known, will be the most significant global climate change summit since Paris in 2015.

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Neither Kenney nor any of his cabinet ministers will attend the climate summit. In an email, Nixon said the UCP government is avoiding non-essential travel right now, adding, “one more politician flying into Glasgow is not going to make any meaningful difference.”

Nixon said Alberta takes climate change seriously, pointing to the province’s own methane reduction targets as well as its ahead-of-schedule phase-out of coal-fired electricity.

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But he said Alberta, and the province’s energy industry, is frustrated with Canada’s “ever-changing emissions targets” and needs clarity and predictability when it comes to climate policy.

The federal government raised the bar for its own emissions reductions ambitions since the 2015 meeting, saying it now aims for a 40 to 45 per cent reduction by 2035. To help meet that target, the government has announced five-year emissions reductions targets for the oil and gas industry as well as regulations around methane.