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
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
Oilers' Henrique, Stars' Hintz out for Game 1 of West final
Top-line Dallas Stars centre Roope Hintz will still be out of the lineup for the Western Conference Final opener Thursday night against Edmonton, which is still without forward Adam Henrique.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.