(rdnewsNOW)

By Sheldon Spackman

chamber speech

Notley promises geothermal jobs, hospital expansion for Red Deer

May 7, 2021 | 4:05 PM

Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley says an expansion of geothermal energy drilling in central Alberta and construction on the Red Deer Regional Hospital expansion would be among the top priorities of a future NDP government in the province.

In a speech to the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Notley spoke about how the city’s unique economic opportunities and affordable quality-of-life mean it is well-positioned to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 and help drive Alberta’s economic growth into the future.

She highlighted how her plan for geothermal energy development, ‘Picking Up Steam: Geothermal and Alberta’s Energy Future’, released last November will help convert hundreds of inactive oil and gas wells in the region into geothermal wells producing clean energy.

“We can leverage our existing expertise in drilling to create an estimated 10,000 jobs, helping get drillers back to work, many of them right here in central Alberta,” said Notley. “And we can use our experience as a commodity in and of itself by exporting it to other parts of the world who see opportunities in geothermal, but lack something we have here in abundance — talent, expertise, and technology.”

Notley pointed to Eavor Technologies in Sylvan Lake as an example.

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“Their geothermal facility, built just west of here, may very well be the world’s first closed-loop geothermal system, producing scalable clean energy by harvesting the natural heat of the Earth. Eavor is already working on commercializing their technology, which was developed from Alberta’s expertise in drilling and engineering.”

Notley stated that Alberta has untapped potential to be at the forefront of the next energy boom with hydrogen fuel production and export.

“Alberta is in a unique position to use our natural gas feedstock to produce blue hydrogen for fuel to meet future global demands for clean energy – an estimated $100 billion dollar annual industry. If done right, Alberta would create thousands of new jobs, draw billions in new investment and spark an energy revolution on the prairies.”

Notley also pledged to fully-fund and follow through on the expansion of Red Deer Regional Hospital under a future NDP government.

In February 2020, the UCP government promised $100 million for the project. However, the recent budget provides $59-million over three years, including $5 million in 2021. Notley said the city can’t afford to wait three more years.

“This hospital and the health care needs of all the people in central Alberta who rely on it will be met. It will be funded and it will be built. You deserve nothing less,” she said.

Notley told the Chamber they will be calling for the government to increase the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant from the additional $10,000 currently on offer, to an additional $25,000.

“In light of the investments made by restaurants, we are also asking them to reimburse the cost associated with the renovations required for them to operate outdoor dining on open patios. We are asking them to subsidize 75 per cent of the cost of renovations and expansion up to $10,000,” said Notley.

“We know there are more opportunities for Red Deer,” added Notley. “Transportation, manufacturing, lithium extraction, high-tech, health innovation, bitumen beyond combustion. These are just some of the sectors we are exploring as part of our quest for a significantly more diversified economy, no matter who is in charge.”

“But I am intent on building ours with Albertans, because the best ideas don’t happen in the back rooms, they happen when people come together in forums like this. Because if done well, it won’t be an NDP plan, it will be Alberta’s plan,” noted Notley.

Alberta’s NDP Caucus will be hosting a consultation session on the future of Red Deer on May 27. The session will be hosted by Indigenous Affairs Critic Richard Feehan, Agriculture Critic Heather Sweet and Transportation Critic Lorne Dach.