Ottawa announces emissions progress as Capital Power cancels $2.4B carbon capture project
Ottawa released its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report on Thursday, less than a day after a major carbon capture and storage project was scrapped by Edmonton-based Capital Power.
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said overall, emissions are at their lowest in 25 years, not including the pandemic.
"Overall, this updated report shows significantly lower emissions by 44 million tons than our pre-pandemic levels," Guilbeault said.
"That is the equivalent of removing 13 million vehicles from our roads."
For years, Alberta has championed emerging carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as a path to net-zero emissions.
But Capital Power announced Wednesday it is halting its major capture project at the Genesee power plant.
"After a detailed review of the project, we have concluded that the economics for CCS at the Genesee site do not meet our targeted risk-return thresholds," Capital Power CEO Avik Dey told a meeting of analysts on Wednesday.
"As such, we are discontinuing pursuit of the $2.4 billion Genesee CCS project.
"However, we do view CCS technology as being viable."
Had the Genesee project gone ahead, it promised three million tonnes in captured carbon a year, along with $5.4 million in annual property taxes and 50 full-time permanent jobs.
Alberta says it has invested billions into CCS and places the blame on Ottawa for not providing financial security for the project.
"The federal government has failed to support Alberta industry with the necessary financial incentives to make this project economically viable, further leading to the project now being paused and reconsidered," a statement issued on Thursday by Alberta Environment Minster Rebecca Shultz said in part.
"It's a huge disappointment," said Chris Severson-Baker of the Pembina Institute.
"Alberta really deserves most of the blame for killing this project.
"The amount of uncertainty that the province has shown in terms of carbon policy, carbon pricing, the electricity sector ... a lot of the changes that have been implemented recently just created so much uncertainty for companies like Capital Power."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.