Canada 57
in this programme, hindering opportunities for interested individuals if their
municipality opts to not participate in the programme. Another initiative
taking place is the request of the Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO) to
incorporate 30% renewable generation into the grid by 2030. The first call was
a success in achieving an electricity cost offer of 3.7 cents per kilowatt, the
lowest renewable electricity pricing in Canada to date, and it is expected to
become operational by 2019 (Government of Alberta, 2018a, 2018b).
The best of all worlds
From consultation, conversations, and discussions, the desire of most Albertans
is to have the best of all pathways. The people of Alberta, across all sectors,
seem to want a growing energy business based on fossil resources like the oil
sands while decreasing the environmental impact of the sector in the territory.
Some may argue this contrasting and idealistic vision might be impossible to
materialise. However, if stakeholders are convinced this is a way forward, then
the main challenge remaining is developing a process to communicate different
worldviews to co- develop the mechanisms that could make such a vision come
true. Such understanding of each other’s realities is vital to achieve consensus.
Today, the lack of consensus represents the biggest barrier to build a feasible
lower- carbon pathway for the Alberta oil sands.
Public perception collected from interviews, surveys, and media indicate
Canadians are committed – in principle – to climate change action. This
commitment may take different forms nationally or regionally. In 2014, 65% of
Canadians surveyed claimed to be familiar with the discussion around the use of
fossil fuels and their impact on climate change, and 62% agreed that protecting
the environment was more important than the price of energy, indicating a
preference for government measures to implement taxes on the main polluters
(Nanos Research, 2014) seen in the prairies region where Alberta is located. In
the same year, another survey revealed that approximately 43% of the
population was completely or partially in favour of oil sands projects in Alberta,
mainly due to their economic and employment benefits. However, a growing
35% indicated that their impression of the oil sands projects has worsened over
the past five years.
In 2015, a survey performed by a major broadcasting company (CTV)
indicated that 72% of Canadians believed that the science of climate change is
irrefutable. In addition, 63% of Canadians were willing to pay more for certain
products in order to help the country meet its environmental commitments,
despite the fact that 66% (45.5% in the Alberta region) acknowledged they
were aware that meeting the new target may involve a significant job loss in the
Canadian oil industry (CTV and Nanos Research, 2015). Considering the
public’s opinion, the government carried out a national consultation to define a
provincial operating budget for 2016, receiving significant feedback regarding
the use of green technologies and the growth of the green energy sector. This
feedback helped the government to outline a comprehensive strategy for the
in this programme, hindering opportunities for interested individuals if their
municipality opts to not participate in the programme. Another initiative
taking place is the request of the Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO) to
incorporate 30% renewable generation into the grid by 2030. The first call was
a success in achieving an electricity cost offer of 3.7 cents per kilowatt, the
lowest renewable electricity pricing in Canada to date, and it is expected to
become operational by 2019 (Government of Alberta, 2018a, 2018b).
The best of all worlds
From consultation, conversations, and discussions, the desire of most Albertans
is to have the best of all pathways. The people of Alberta, across all sectors,
seem to want a growing energy business based on fossil resources like the oil
sands while decreasing the environmental impact of the sector in the territory.
Some may argue this contrasting and idealistic vision might be impossible to
materialise. However, if stakeholders are convinced this is a way forward, then
the main challenge remaining is developing a process to communicate different
worldviews to co- develop the mechanisms that could make such a vision come
true. Such understanding of each other’s realities is vital to achieve consensus.
Today, the lack of consensus represents the biggest barrier to build a feasible
lower- carbon pathway for the Alberta oil sands.
Public perception collected from interviews, surveys, and media indicate
Canadians are committed – in principle – to climate change action. This
commitment may take different forms nationally or regionally. In 2014, 65% of
Canadians surveyed claimed to be familiar with the discussion around the use of
fossil fuels and their impact on climate change, and 62% agreed that protecting
the environment was more important than the price of energy, indicating a
preference for government measures to implement taxes on the main polluters
(Nanos Research, 2014) seen in the prairies region where Alberta is located. In
the same year, another survey revealed that approximately 43% of the
population was completely or partially in favour of oil sands projects in Alberta,
mainly due to their economic and employment benefits. However, a growing
35% indicated that their impression of the oil sands projects has worsened over
the past five years.
In 2015, a survey performed by a major broadcasting company (CTV)
indicated that 72% of Canadians believed that the science of climate change is
irrefutable. In addition, 63% of Canadians were willing to pay more for certain
products in order to help the country meet its environmental commitments,
despite the fact that 66% (45.5% in the Alberta region) acknowledged they
were aware that meeting the new target may involve a significant job loss in the
Canadian oil industry (CTV and Nanos Research, 2015). Considering the
public’s opinion, the government carried out a national consultation to define a
provincial operating budget for 2016, receiving significant feedback regarding
the use of green technologies and the growth of the green energy sector. This
feedback helped the government to outline a comprehensive strategy for the