Securing the Alberta-U.S. border

Alberta’s border security plan is advancing rapidly with more measures in place to stop illegal activity at the Alberta-U.S. border.

In December 2024, Alberta’s government announced a $29-million investment to create an Interdiction Patrol Team (IPT) within the Alberta Sheriffs to crack down on illegal cross-border activities threatening lives and livelihoods on both sides of the Alberta-Montana border. Alberta’s government recognizes the need for swift and decisive action that will curb drug trafficking and illegal border crossings to strengthen the province’s border security.

The team’s first cohort has been deployed and hiring will continue until all 51 positions are filled. The IPT is now operational, working closely with the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency to identify and apprehend individuals suspected of drug smuggling, human trafficking and other illegal activities involving movement across the Canada-U.S. border. To date, 20 members of the Alberta Sheriffs have been assigned to the IPT to patrol between entry points, and to vehicle inspection stations along Alberta’s side of the border.

Sheriffs Interdiction Patrol Team map

“We are committed to strengthening security along Alberta’s southern border to put an end to the dangerous criminal activities that are destroying lives on both sides of the border. In addition to launching our new Interdiction Patrol Team, we are building three new vehicle inspection stations and increasing highway monitoring for suspicious activity. Our plan will ensure that Alberta’s southern border is secure.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

“Alberta’s government is increasing border security and has zero tolerance for illegal activities that threaten the well-being of Albertans or Alberta’s economy. The Alberta Sheriffs Interdiction Patrol Team puts more boots on the ground to identify where and when these activities are taking place, boosting security along our southern border and disrupting dangerous cross-border human, drugs and weapons trafficking in both directions. Let this be a message to all potential traffickers, especially those who traffic deadly fentanyl, you will get caught and you will go to jail.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

Alberta’s government continues to acquire equipment that will enable the IPT to detect and apprehend individuals committing illegal activity, including drones, night-vision optics and patrol canines. This team will patrol to detect and intercept illicit drugs, illegal firearms and unlawful attempts at illegal international border crossing. The IPT will be fully operational in coming months.

Through this process, Alberta has identified further significant concerns with the shared Canada-U.S. border. In response, Alberta’s government is advancing further measures to increase the security of the southern border.

In addition to the IPT, Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors is dedicating $15 million over two years for three new vehicle inspection stations near the border, if Budget 2025 passes. This will give Sheriffs dedicated facilities to inspect commercial vehicles, whether they’re crossing into the United States or coming into Canada. The stations will be located on Highway 1 at Dunmore, Highway 3 at Burmis and Highway 4 at Coutts. The stations will include enhanced parking lanes for inspections, and winter ready buildings for year-round inspections.

Another measure undertaken by Alberta’s government is to train highway maintenance workers to identify and report suspicious activity during highway maintenance operations. Volker Stevin has a contract to maintain about 600 kilometres of highways in southern Alberta and by empowering their workers to identify and report suspicious activity, Alberta’s government is layering further security measures without adding additional costs.

“Border security is a priority, and Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors is doing its part to enhance security and surveillance through three new vehicle inspection stations and with the help of our highway maintenance contractors, who will be trained to detect and report suspicious activity, providing an extra pair of eyes along the border.”

Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

“The Interdiction Patrol Team will play a key role in eradicating crimes that seek to exploit the Alberta-Montana border in both directions. The Alberta Sheriffs are pleased to collaborate with the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency and our counterparts in the United States as we work to keep our shared border safe and secure.”

Bob Andrews, chief, Alberta Sheriffs

Alberta’s government also amended the Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation in January 2025 to add a two-kilometre-deep border zone north of the Alberta-United States border to the definition of essential infrastructure under the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act. The act gives peace officers the authority to arrest individuals caught trespassing on, interfering with or damaging essential infrastructure and who do not have a lawful right, to be on the essential infrastructure.

“Amending the Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation is a key piece of our efforts to strengthen security in the area near the international border. We have quickly taken action that will support law enforcement in improving public safety, and tackle cross-border crime, drugs, illegal migrants and human-trafficking.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Quick facts:

IPT will be supported by:

51 uniformed officers equipped with carbine rifles (weapons for tactical operations)
10 support staff, including dispatchers and analysts
four drug patrol dogs, critical to ensure reasonable suspicion to search vehicles
10 cold weather surveillance drones that can operate in high winds with dedicated pilots
four narcotics analyzers to test for illicit drugs

The IPT has already conducted more than 3,300 stops/contacts and has been successful in:

assisting with four Northbound unauthorized border crossings
executing 18 warrants and conducting two Judicial Interim Release hearings
conducting three arrests related to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking

The case for expanding Canada’s energy exports

Published on December 10, 2025

Todayville

From the Canadian Energy Centre

By Deborah Jaremko

For Canada, the path to a stronger economy — and stronger global influence — runs through energy.

That’s the view of David Detomasi, a professor at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Detomasi, author of Profits and Power: Navigating the Politics and Geopolitics of Oil, argues that there is a moral case for developing Canada’s energy, both for Canadians and the world.

David Detomasi. Photo courtesy Smith School of Business, Queen’s University

CEC: What does being an energy superpower mean to you?

DD: It means Canada is strong enough to affect the system as a whole by its choices.

There is something really valuable about Canada’s — and Alberta’s — way of producing carbon energy that goes beyond just the monetary rewards.

CEC: You talk about the moral case for developing Canada’s energy. What do you mean?

DD: I think the default assumption in public rhetoric is that the environmental movement is the only voice speaking for the moral betterment of the world. That needs to be challenged.

That public rhetoric is that the act of cultivating a powerful, effective economic engine is somehow wrong or bad, and that efforts to create wealth are somehow morally tainted.

I think that’s dead wrong. Economic growth is morally good, and we should foster it.

Economic growth generates money, and you can’t do anything you want to do in social expenditures without that engine.

Economic growth is critical to doing all the other things we want to do as Canadians, like having a publicly funded health care system or providing transfer payments to less well-off provinces.

Over the last 10 years, many people in Canada came to equate moral leadership with getting off of oil and gas as quickly as possible. I think that is a mistake, and far too narrow.

Instead, I think moral leadership means you play that game, you play it well, and you do it in our interest, in the Canadian way.

We need a solid base of economic prosperity in this country first, and then we can help others.

CEC: Why is it important to expand Canada’s energy trade?

DD: Canada is, and has always been, a trading nation, because we’ve got a lot of geography and not that many people.

If we don’t trade what we have with the outside world, we aren’t going to be able to develop economically, because we don’t have the internal size and capacity.

Historically, most of that trade has been with the United States. Geography and history mean it will always be our primary trade partner.

But the United States clearly can be an unreliable partner. Free and open trade matters more to Canada than it does to the U.S. Indeed, a big chunk of the American people is skeptical of participating in a global trading system.

As the United States perhaps withdraws from the international trading and investment system, there’s room for Canada to reinforce it in places where we can use our resource advantages to build new, stronger relationships.

One of these is Europe, which still imports a lot of gas. We can also build positive relationships with the enormous emerging markets of China and India, both of whom want and will need enormous supplies of energy for many decades.

I would like to be able to offer partners the alternative option of buying Canadian energy so that they are less reliant on, say, Iranian or Russian energy.

Canada can also maybe eventually help the two billion people in the world currently without energy access.

CEC: What benefits could Canadians gain by becoming an energy superpower?

DD: The first and primary responsibility of our federal government is to look after Canada. At the end of the day, the goal is to improve Canada’s welfare and enhance its sovereignty.

More carbon energy development helps Canada. We have massive debt, an investment crisis and productivity problems that we’ve been talking about forever. Economic and job growth are weak.

Solving these will require profitable and productive industries. We don’t have so many economic strengths in this country that we can voluntarily ignore or constrain one of our biggest industries.

The economic benefits pay for things that make you stronger as a country.

They make you more resilient on the social welfare front and make increasing defence expenditures, which we sorely need, more affordable. It allows us to manage the debt that we’re running up, and supports deals for Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

CEC: Are there specific projects that you advocate for to make Canada an energy superpower?

DD: Canada’s energy needs egress, and getting it out to places other than the United States. That means more transport and port facilities to Canada’s coasts.

We also need domestic energy transport networks. People don’t know this, but a big chunk of Ontario’s oil supply runs through Michigan, posing a latent security risk to Ontario’s energy security.

We need to change the perception that pipelines are evil. There’s a spiderweb of them across the globe, and more are being built.

Building pipelines here, with Canadian technology and know-how, builds our competitiveness and enhances our sovereignty.

Economic growth enhances sovereignty and provides the resources to do other things. We should applaud and encourage it, and the carbon energy sector can lead the way.

Agriculture

Growing Alberta’s fresh food future

Published on December 10, 2025

Government of Alberta

A new program funded by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership will accelerate expansion in Alberta greenhouses and vertical farms.

Albertans want to keep their hard-earned money in the province and support producers by choosing locally grown, high-quality produce. The new three-year, $10-milllion Growing Greenhouses program aims to stimulate industry growth and provide fresh fruit and vegetables to Albertans throughout the year.

“Everything our ministry does is about ensuring Albertans have secure access to safe, high-quality food. We are continually working to build resilience and sustainability into our food production systems, increase opportunities for producers and processors, create jobs and feed Albertans. This new program will fund technologies that increase food production and improve energy efficiency.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

“Through this investment, we’re supporting Alberta’s growers and ensuring Canadians have access to fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables on grocery shelves year-round. This program strengthens local communities, drives innovation, and creates new opportunities for agricultural entrepreneurs, reinforcing Canada’s food system and economy.”

Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

The Growing Greenhouses program supports the controlled environment agriculture sector with new construction or expansion improvements to existing greenhouses and vertical farms that produce food at a commercial scale. It also aligns with Alberta’s Buy Local initiative launched this year as consumers will be able to purchase more local produce all year-round.

The program was created in alignment with the needs identified by the greenhouse sector, with a goal to reduce seasonal import reliance entering fall, which increases fruit and vegetable prices.

“This program is a game-changer for Alberta’s greenhouse sector. By investing in expansion and innovation, we can grow more fresh produce year-round, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen food security for Albertans. Our growers are ready to meet the demand with sustainable, locally grown vegetables and fruits, and this support ensures we can do so while creating new jobs and opportunities in communities across the province. We are very grateful to the Governments of Canada and Alberta for this investment in our sector and for working collaboratively with us.”

Michiel Verheul, president, Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP)

Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

Quick facts

Alberta’s greenhouse sector ranks fourth in Canada:

195 greenhouses produce $145 million in produce and 60 per cent of them operate year-round.

Greenhouse food production is growing by 6.2 per cent annually.
Alberta imports $349 million in fresh produce annually.

The program supports sector growth by investing in renewable and efficient energy systems, advanced lighting systems, energy-saving construction, and automation and robotics systems.