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Clean electricity regs can be tweaked, but no special deal for Alberta: Guilbeault

Sep 29, 2023 | 2:12 PM

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says there will be no special treatment for Alberta when it comes to new regulations to make electricity cleaner.

Guilbeault is currently consulting on draft regulations published in August that would compel all electricity to be from renewable sources or equipped with carbon capture technology by 2035.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said this week she will use her province’s sovereignty act to challenge any attempt by Ottawa to enforce that deadline.

She says Alberta is working toward a net-zero electricity grid by 2050 and that doing so by 2035 would cost Alberta rate payers a fortune or even leave them without reliable sources of power.

Guilbeault disputes that and says he wants to work with all provinces and territories to make sure the regulations work for everyone and also reduce emissions.

But he says allowing Alberta to have special treatment under the regulations would not be fair to the rest of the country.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

The Canadian Press