Alberta and Saskatchewan to Partner on Carbon Capture and Storage

1 June 2008

At the recent meeting of the Premiers of Canada’s Western provinces, the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan—the two provinces with substantial oil sands resources—agreed to take the lead in making carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology a national priority.

The two provinces also agreed to lead a process with other governments to coordinate and advance the research and implementation of carbon capture and storage technologies.

A communiqué from the Western Premiers Conference stated:

Western Provinces and Territories are actively developing innovative policy solutions in their jurisdictions and committed to sharing information with each other and with national and international communities. Western Premiers agree that a national policy network on climate change issues would be a positive development and also agree to raise this at the upcoming Council of the Federation meeting. Further, the Pacific Institute of Climate Solutions will establish a national policy network on climate change issues and will report annually to the Western Premiers’ Conference.

Western Premiers recognize the importance of implementing a variety of energy technologies—possibly including alternative fuels development; plug-in hybrid electric, hydrogen hybrid and hybrid diesel electric vehicles; cold-climate technologies; water turbines; geothermal systems; and improved solar panel technology—to achieve substantial emissions reductions in the long term. Western Premiers encouraged a focus on cold climate alternative energy technology, including cold-climate wind power. Industry and governments, including the federal government, must all come to the table to ensure energy technologies advance as soon as possible.