Investments on behalf of the Government of Canada are being made towards creating good middle-class jobs, achieving emissions reduction targets, and enhancing Canada’s competitive advantage.

A combined investment of over $7.5 million to four organizations in Alberta was announced on April 4th, 2022 by the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. The Government of Canada aims to advance emerging clean technologies to grow our economy and help Canada meet its environmental targets.

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, shared his thoughts in response to the government’s choice in funding specifically Albertan projects:

“Alberta has the expertise and the drive to be a leader in developing clean energy technologies. Investments like these will help us get there and help us achieve our climate goals.”

The projects benefitting from these government investments include:

  • $3,000,000 to Suncor Energy Inc. in Fort McMurray, Alberta, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Permanent Aquatic Storage Structure to accelerate the dewatering and removal of contaminants in fluid tailings and, combined with watershed design, to create a self-sustaining boreal pit lake ecosystem;
  • $2,000,000 to Cenovus Energy Inc. in Calgary, Alberta, to demonstrate the effectiveness of a partial-upgrading process which is intended to reduce diluent use and the greenhouse gas emissions related to crude transportation;
  • $1,500,000 to MEG Energy Corp. in Christina Lake, Alberta, to prove the commercial viability of a process to reduce the viscosity of heavy, bituminous oil through on-site pilot testing; and,
  • $1,050,000 to Seal Well Inc. in Calgary, Alberta, to demonstrate the use of a bismuth-based metal alloy as a more effective sealant to permanently prevent the leakage of gases from producing and abandoned oil and gas wells.

“[We have] a 2035 target to reduce our absolute emissions, and a longer-term ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. We know that progress will require collaboration, and investments in technology and innovation. This project has the potential to reduce the amount of diluent we use in our oil sands operations and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions related to transporting that oil,” said Rhona DelFrari, Chief Sustainability Officer & Senior Vice-President, Stakeholder Engagement at Cenovus.

Under the Clean Growth Program, $155 million in federal funding was given to projects that explore the potential of clean Canadian technology via research in energy, mining, and forestry. The program launched in 2017-18 and is set to end this year.

By way of these investments, The Government of Canada is determined to aiding innovative projects that will allow the country’s natural resource industries to greatly reduce their impact on the environment. Particularly concentrating on projects within the aforementioned sectors of energy, mining, and forestry, Canada aims to create clean, sustainable and competitive natural resource sectors while simultaneously fighting against climate change.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in projects that accelerate the development of innovative clean technologies that position Canada’s natural resource sectors as world leaders. Through innovative ideas and with dedicated partnerships – like those here in Alberta – we are helping to grow the economy in a way that is compatible with our climate commitments,” concluded The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.