Kathleen Ganley, MLA for Calgary-Mountain View. Energy & Natural Gas Critic. (Alberta NDP)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Alberta Energy Transition Study

NDP says UCP’s refusal to commit to net-zero will cost Alberta 150,000 jobs

Dec 14, 2021 | 4:42 PM

Alberta’s NDP says the refusal from Premier Jason Kenney and the UCP government to pursue net-zero by 2050 will cost Albertans 150,000 jobs, according to a recent report.

The party says the Alberta Energy Transition Study conducted for Calgary Economic Development and Edmonton Global found that achieving net-zero could lead to the creation of 170,000 jobs and $61 billion in GDP by 2050.

However, the NDP says the study also found that a business-as-usual path results in only 20,000 new jobs and contributes $4 billion in GDP.

“The world is moving towards net-zero, and if we don’t move with it, we risk being left behind,” said NDP Energy Critic Kathleen Ganley. “But the UCP has failed to show leadership or any long-term vision by refusing to commit to achieving net-zero, which means we’ll miss out on investment and jobs.”

At his recent speech to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, the NDP says Kenney indicated he wouldn’t do anything beyond the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program. While TIER was identified as a strength for Alberta, the NDP says it represents a business-as-usual approach.

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The opposition says the report notes the absence of a hydrogen export strategy and how the lack of a provincial roadmap for a net-zero electricity grid creates uncertainty. NDP officials say the report also states that “less positive signals are also being sent to investors that may indicate that the energy transition and a serious pursuit of clean technology development are not a priority for Alberta.”

The NDP says this includes the cancellation of the Alberta Investor Tax Credit and the closure of Alberta’s provincial energy efficiency agency by the UCP government.

“Net-zero represents a massive opportunity to diversify our economy and create jobs,” said Ganley. “With the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Albertans, we can take advantage of every one of these opportunities. But it will also take ambition and the right set of policies from government – something sorely lacking under the UCP.”

The NDP says it has committed to achieving economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050 and a net-zero grid by 2035.