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Alberta

Premier Kenney blasts Biden for confusing US energy policy

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The first thing President Joe Biden did when he came into office was kill the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Those who understand global energy needs, knew that would eventually come back to haunt the US which is the largest consumer of energy on the planet.  Well it didn’t take long.  Not even a year.  Eight months after taking office the US finds itself in a position of begging OPEC (an energy producing rival) to increase oil production to help bring down the price of oil.  It’s enough to make Alberta Premier Jason Kenney boil over with anger and lash out at the President for a shortsighted and self-defeating energy policy.  

Here’s a statement released today from The White House and a subsequent post from Premier Kenney reacting to the situation the US finds itself in.

From a facebook post by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney

The same US administration that retroactively cancelled Canada’s Keystone XL Pipeline is now pleading with OPEC & Russia to produce & ship more crude oil.
This comes just as Vladimir Putin’s Russia has become the 2nd largest exporter of oil to the US.
Ironically, Russia is now selling the US 840,000 barrels of oil per day, which is *exactly* the amount of Canadian oil that Keystone XL would deliver to the US.
At the same time, the US administration has lifted sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Western Europe.
The same administration is also committed to ending the embargo on Iranian oil exports.
Why is the US government blocking energy imports from friendly Canada, while pressing for more imports from OPEC dictatorships & Putin’s Russian regime?
Canada is the USA’s closest ally. OPEC+ includes regimes that fuel conflict and instability around the world.
Canadian energy producers are transparent publicly traded companies. OPEC+ producers are overwhelmingly state enterprises, many financing corrupt regimes.
Canadian energy producers operate in compliance with the world’s highest environmental, governance and social (ESG) standards. Producers in Russia, Iran, Venezuela etc. flagrantly violate those standards. Canada is a rights-respecting liberal democracy. Many OPEC+ countries are amongst the world’s worst regimes.
So why is American energy policy opposed to more Canadian energy exports, but in favour of more OPEC+ exports?
And why is Canada’s federal government silent about this gross double standard?

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Agriculture

Lacombe meat processor scores $1.2 million dollar provincial tax credit to help expansion

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Alberta’s government continues to attract investment and grow the provincial economy.

The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry.

Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735.

“The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers that supply them. This facility expansion will allow Beretta Farms to increase production capacity, which means more Alberta beef across the country, and around the world.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

“This expansion by Beretta Farms is great news for Lacombe and central Alberta. It not only supports local job creation and economic growth but also strengthens Alberta’s global reputation for producing high-quality meat products. I’m proud to see our government supporting agricultural innovation and investment right here in our community.”

Jennifer Johnson, MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka

The tax credit provides a 12 per cent non-refundable, non-transferable tax credit when businesses invest $10 million or more in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in Alberta. The program is open to any food manufacturers and bio processors that add value to commodities like grains or meat or turn agricultural byproducts into new consumer or industrial goods.

Beretta Farms’ facility in Lacombe is a federally registered, European Union-approved harvesting and meat processing facility specializing in the slaughter, processing, packaging and distribution of Canadian and United States cattle and bison meat products to 87 countries worldwide.

“Our recent plant expansion project at our facility in Lacombe has allowed us to increase our processing capacities and add more job opportunities in the central Alberta area. With the support and recognition from the Government of Alberta’s tax credit program, we feel we are in a better position to continue our success and have the confidence to grow our meat brands into the future.”

Thomas Beretta, plant manager, Beretta Farms

Alberta’s agri-processing sector is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the province and meat processing plays an important role in the sector, generating millions in annual economic impact and creating thousands of jobs. Alberta continues to be an attractive place for agricultural investment due to its agricultural resources, one of the lowest tax rates in North America, a business-friendly environment and a robust transportation network to connect with international markets.

Quick facts

  • Since 2023, there are 16 applicants to the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit for projects worth about $1.6 billion total in new investment in Alberta’s agri-processing sector.
  • To date, 13 projects have received conditional approval under the program.
    • Each applicant must submit progress reports, then apply for a tax credit certificate when the project is complete.
  • Beretta Farms has expanded the Lacombe facility by 10,000 square feet to include new warehousing, cooler space and an office building.
    • This project has the potential to increase production capacity by 50 per cent, thereby facilitating entry into more European markets.

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Alberta

Alberta Next: Alberta Pension Plan

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From Premier Danielle Smith and Alberta.ca/Next

Let’s talk about an Alberta Pension Plan for a minute.

With our young Alberta workforce paying billions more into the CPP each year than our seniors get back in benefits, it’s time to ask whether we stay with the status quo or create our own Alberta Pension Plan that would guarantee as good or better benefits for seniors and lower premiums for workers.

I want to hear your perspective on this idea and please check out the video. Get the facts. Join the conversation.

Visit Alberta.ca/next

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