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Alberta

PANDAMNIT! Alberta cancels festivals & gatherings over 15 people till September

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Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deeena Hinshaw had some advice Thursday to all Alberta summer festivals, sporting events, leagues and event organizers that have more than 15 people in attendance; if you have not already cancelled your events, you should do so as soon as possible.

“This decision was not made lightly – we must do everything we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” Hinshaw said during the daily Alberta press pandemic update, “I know summer festivals and events are incredibly important for many people,” She also advised people to avoid visiting summer homes and any non-essential travel.

For decades Edmonton has proudly boosted itself as a festival city, so this news puts more pain, hurt and loss on top of so much that has already come since Covid- 19 has swept around the world. “I know this is incredibly disappointing. We all look forward to summer,” Hinshaw continued, “This virus has taken many things from us and this is another loss to absorb.”

The province’s officials saw no other choice but to do a blanket ban on summer events and festivals as necessary because of COVID-19’s ability to “spread like wildfire in large groups of people,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw explained.

“To be clear, the orders in place prohibit gatherings of more than 15 people. They also require people gathered in groups of fewer than 15 to maintain a distance of two metres from one another,” Hinshaw explained. “I know summer festivals and events are incredibly important for many people. They provide fun and entertainment in every part of this province, and many people depend on them for livelihood.” Adding, “But we must do everything we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We have seen that festivals and large gatherings hold the potential to be super-spreader events.”

“While we are all eager for a relaunch and want to see an easing of restrictions, now is not the time to have people moving through the province and possibly unknowingly spread the virus,” Hinshaw said.

While all events over 15 people are now cancelled until at least September at the earliest, Hinshaw mentioned that there are still activities Albertans can enjoy safely outside, including walks and gardening.

To read more on Todayville click here.

 Saskatchewan to start reopening from the coronavirus on May 4 using a 5-point plan

Alberta

Alberta Next: Taxation

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A new video from the Alberta Next panel looks at whether Alberta should stop relying on Ottawa to collect our provincial income taxes. Quebec already does it, and Alberta already collects corporate taxes directly. Doing the same for personal income taxes could mean better tax policy, thousands of new jobs, and less federal interference. But it would take time, cost money, and require building new systems from the ground up.

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Alberta

Cross-Canada NGL corridor will stretch from B.C. to Ontario

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Keyera Corp.’s natural gas liquids facilities in Fort Saskatchewan. Photo courtesy Keyera Corp.

From the Canadian Energy Centre

By Will Gibson

Keyera ‘Canadianizes’ natural gas liquids with $5.15 billion acquisition

Sarnia, Ont., which sits on the southern tip of Lake Huron and peers across the St. Clair River to Michigan, is a crucial energy hub for much of the eastern half of Canada and parts of the United States.

With more than 60 industrial facilities including refineries and chemical plants that produce everything from petroleum, resins, synthetic rubber, plastics, lubricants, paint, cosmetics and food additives in the southwestern Ontario city, Mayor Mike Bradley admits the ongoing dialogue about tariffs with Canada’s southern neighbour hits close to home.

So Bradley welcomed the announcement that Calgary-based Keyera Corp. will acquire the majority of Plains American Pipelines LLP’s Canadian natural gas liquids (NGL) business, creating a cross-Canada NGL corridor that includes a storage hub in Sarnia.

“As a border city, we’ve been on the frontline of the tariff wars, so we support anything that helps enhance Canadian sovereignty and jobs,” says the long-time mayor, who was first elected in 1988.

The assets in Sarnia are a key piece of the $5.15 billion transaction, which will connect natural gas liquids from the growing Montney and Duvernay plays in B.C. and Alberta to markets in central Canada and the eastern U.S. seaboard.

Map courtesy Keyera Corp.

NGLs are hydrocarbons found within natural gas streams including ethane, propane and pentanes. They are important energy sources and used to produce a wide range of everyday items, from plastics and clothing to fuels.

Keyera CEO Dean Setoguchi cast the proposed acquisition as an act of repatriation.

“This transaction brings key NGL infrastructure under Canadian ownership, enhancing domestic energy capabilities and reinforcing Canada’s economic resilience by keeping value and decision-making closer to home,” Setoguchi told analysts in a June 17 call.

“Plains’ portfolio forms a fully integrated cross Canada NGL system connecting Western Canada supply to key demand centres across the Prairie provinces, Ontario and eastern U.S.,” he said.

“The system includes strategic hubs like Empress, Fort Saskatchewan and Sarnia – which provide a reliable source of Canadian NGL supply to extensive fractionation, storage, pipeline and logistics infrastructure.”

Martin King, RBN Energy’s managing director of North America Energy Market Analysis, sees Keyera’s ability to “Canadianize” its NGL infrastructure as improving the company’s growth prospects.

“It allows them to tap into the Duvernay and Montney, which are the fastest growing NGL plays in North America and gives them some key assets throughout the country,” said the Calgary-based analyst.

“The crown assets are probably the straddle plants in Empress, which help strip out the butane, ethane and other liquids for condensate. It also positions them well to serve the eastern half of the country.”

And that’s something welcomed in Sarnia.

“Having a Canadian source for natural gas would be our preference so we see Keyera’s acquisition as strengthening our region as an energy hub,” Bradley said.

“We are optimistic this will be good for our region in the long run.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Meanwhile, the governments of Ontario and Alberta are joining forces to strengthen the economies of both regions, and the country, by advancing major infrastructure projects including pipelines, ports and rail.

A joint feasibility study is expected this year on how to move major private sector-led investments forward.

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