A Look at the Craft Brewery Boom in Alberta

The microbrewery landscape in Alberta is composed of a niche collection of local businesses, each offering a creative and completely unique approach to beer and dining. Each location tells a different story through its brews, taproom, artwork, product design and individual take on what makes Alberta beer the best.

In this strange and creative world, there is something for everyone. Consumers can enjoy the favorite Super Saturation New England Pale Ale while sitting with friends beneath indoor wooden cabins at Cabin Brewing Company, Brewery of the Year winner at the 2020 Alberta Beer Awards. Those with an affinity for sci-fi might enjoy sampling a flight from Zero Issue while kicking back with a comic book. Patio enthusiasts can enjoy the sunshine while sipping on the 2020 Award winners for Patio Beers at Tool Shed Brewing Company, Sea Change Brewing Co. or Analog Brewing.

Since 2013, the number of microbreweries in Alberta has skyrocketed. What was once one of the most sparsely populated craft beer industries in Canada has become one of the most exciting destinations for craft beer connoisseurs.

According to Avenue Magazine, in December 2013, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission made adjustments to the “antiquated laws that made starting a brewery or brewpub a formidable undertaking,” opening the doors for Alberta brewers to pursue their passion. Since then, there has been a steady increase in craft breweries across Alberta, from no more than 13 in 2013 to 123 province-wide as of January 2020. According to Canadian Beer News, the Alberta brew industry now employs an estimated 3,000 people.

Although each brewery could not be more individual and unique, together these businesses form a tight-knit community built on support, collaboration and a mutual desire to see the craft beer market continue to succeed in Alberta and across Canada. According to Alberta Beer, “Alberta brewers know everyone wins when we support and nurture our communities.”

In Calgary, the craft beer industry has also undergone an extreme expansion in recent years. There are over 30 brewery-taprooms throughout the city, which is also home to a number of collectives. These include the Barley Belt, a collection of breweries spanning several kilometres throughout Calgary’s southeast, and Brewery Flats, a craft beer tour featuring a number of breweries in the Inglewood area.

Offering an ever-changing selection of local brews on tap, the breweries in Calgary push the limits with an ongoing series of strange and spectacular creations. Some stay for a while, some are gone before your next visit.

Follow Todayville Calgary to learn more about Calgary’s unique breweries, now featuring exclusive weekly updates from Whats on Tap?

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Official statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Energy Minister Brian Jean on the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline

Published on May 1, 2024

Government of Alberta

Alberta is celebrating an important achievement for the energy industry – the start-up of the twinned Trans Mountain pipeline. It’s great news Albertans and Canadians as this will welcome a new era of prosperity and economic growth. The completion of TMX is monumental for Alberta, since this will significantly increase our province’s output. It will triple the capacity of the original pipeline to now carry 890,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta’s oil sands to British Columbia’s Pacific Coast.

We are excited that Canada’s biggest and newest oil pipeline in more than a decade, can now bring oil from Edmonton to tide water in B.C. This will allow us to get our energy resources to Pacific markets, including Washington State and California, and Asian markets like Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Alberta now has new energy customers and tankers with Alberta oil will be unloading in China and India in the next few months.

For Alberta this is a game-changer, the world needs more reliably and sustainably sourced Alberta energy, not less. World demand for oil and gas resources will continue in the decades ahead and the new pipeline expansion will give us the opportunity to meet global energy demands and increase North American and global energy security and help remove the issues of energy poverty in other parts of the world.

Analysts are predicting the price differential on Canadian crude oil will narrow resulting in many millions of extra government revenues, which will help fund important programs like health, education, and social services – the things Albertans rely on. TMX will also result in billions of dollars of economic prosperity for Albertans, Indigenous communities and Canadians and create well-paying jobs throughout Canada.

Our province wants to congratulate the Trans Mountain Corporation for its tenacity to have completed this long awaited and much needed energy infrastructure, and to thank the more than 30,000 dedicated, skilled workers whose efforts made this extraordinary project a reality. The province also wants to thank the Federal Government for seeing this project through. This is a great example of an area where the provincial and federal government can cooperate and work together for the benefit of Albertans and all Canadians.

Alberta

Protecting the right to vote for Canadian citizens: Minister McIver

Published on May 1, 2024

Government of Alberta

Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued the following statement in response to Calgary City Council’s vote to extend the right to vote to permanent residents:

“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections. Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.

“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. This right extends to voters in municipal, provincial and federal elections.

“Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. Our provincial election legislation, like the Local Authorities Elections Act, has also been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens.

“Alberta’s government is also ensuring that voting is accessible for more Albertans. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot.

“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”