Tag Archives: Suncor

Energy, Politics

In the Midst of a Global Energy Transition: Canada’s New Pipeline

Someone sent me a Facebook post in which North Island-Powell River MP Aaron Gunn points to a Petro Canada sign advertising gas for $2.09.9 a litre. 

Gunn wrote, “Ridiculous. 4th-largest oil reserves on the planet. $2.09 per litre at the pumps. It’s time to build pipelines, refineries and an energy policy that puts Canada, and Canadians, first!” 

My first response, when I calmed down enough to have a polite response, was ‘does he think a fully operational pipeline is going to drop out of the sky?’ 

So far, no proponents have stepped forward to build the proposed pipeline. Premier Danielle Smith of Alberta recently said there are some Middle Eastern and Asian investors who expressed interest in a minority stake. IF a proponent steps forward and clears all the necessary preliminary steps, it is still going to take years before oil flows through the proposed pipeline. 

Continue reading In the Midst of a Global Energy Transition: Canada’s New Pipeline →
Energy, Politics

Fossil Fuel Lobbyists very active in 2025, report says

Fossil fuel interests increased their lobbying during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s tenure. According to Environmental Defence’s  2025 Fossil Fuel Playbook, iindustry lobbyists met with federal officials 986 times in 2025, despite a three-month lull during the election period.

Jennifer Lash, the Liberal candidate in North island-Powell River during the last election, responded, “There is no question that this Liberal government has signalled they are open to conversations with the fossil fuel sector and these numbers show that the companies are accepting the invitation. What really matters, however, is the outcome, particularly with the commitments in the MoU.  Canada must ensure the methane equivalency agreement and industrial carbon pricing regulations are rigorous and effective and I will be watching to see what happens in the coming weeks.”  

Continue reading Fossil Fuel Lobbyists very active in 2025, report says →
Energy, Environment

Wilkinson warns Poilievre’s resource approval plan will end ‘in court on an ongoing basis’

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is pledging to create a “one and done” system for resource project approvals and rapidly approve 10 projects he says are stuck in the “slow federal approval process.”

To achieve a maximum approval wait time of one year, Poilievre said he will eliminate the Impact Assessment Act and create one office and one assessment process to handle all regulatory approvals across all levels of government.

This proclamation comes a few weeks after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his intent to streamline the approval process for big infrastructure projects in response to the trade war with the US. Carney said his plan, with a similar slogan to that of Poilievre’s — “one project, one review” — would aim to get projects approved within two years. 

Continue reading Wilkinson warns Poilievre’s resource approval plan will end ‘in court on an ongoing basis’ →
Energy

Pembina Institute: Why Canada Needs An Emissions Cap for the Oil and Gas Sector

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada’s economy, employing 182,000 people and generating $209 billion in GDP during 2023, yet it is also the source of 31% of Canada’’s Greenhouse gas emissions.

 “Demand for oil and gas is not going to go to zero tomorrow.  It is a transition that takes decades  to undergo.  There will be a role for oil and gas as we move forward along that transition, but it is likely to be a  cleaner oil and gas sector as the rest of the world stops buying  the oil and gas products that Canada and other countries produce. Which, I think, really underlines the importance of investing in decarbonization now while we’re still using oil and gas  to 2050 and a little bit beyond  if we get on a net zero trajectory,” explained Janetta McKenzie  from the Pembina Institute, a Canadian think tank and non-profit focused on energy. 

Continue reading Pembina Institute: Why Canada Needs An Emissions Cap for the Oil and Gas Sector →
Energy, Politics

A Peek Into Big Oil’s Playbook with Environmental Defence

Environmental Defence just released a report showing that last year oil and gas company lobbyists were targeting the Conservative Party, in preference to the Canadian Government, by more than a 2 to 1 ratio. Cortes Currents interviewed Emilia Belliveau, lead author of ‘Big Oil’s Playbook, A Summary of Big Oil’s 2024 Federal Lobbying’ and asked Max Thaysen, from the Cortes Island Climate Action Network for his insights.  

Emilia Belliveau:  “Environmental Defence is a charity, so we are nonpartisan. What I can do is simply relay the facts, which are that the Bloc Québécois and the Green Party did not take any lobbyist meetings. The NDP took a very small number, four. Then you have most of the lobby meetings targeting the Federal Liberals and the Federal Conservatives. The Federal Liberals had 62 meetings with ministers and 29 meetings with backbencher MPs, and Conservative MPs took 216  lobby meetings.”

Continue reading A Peek Into Big Oil’s Playbook with Environmental Defence →