Blog

Keynote Speaker: Premier Danielle Smith

January 20th, 2026

Following a "pivotal and transformative" 2025, Alberta is positioning itself at the center of Canada’s future as an energy superpower. The province has transitioned from a period of "obstruction" to a new era of collaboration with the federal government under an Energy Accord signed in November 2025.

Key Resource Statistics:

Confirmed in March 2025 at CERAWeek in Houston, Alberta’s energy reserves remain a vast store of value for the province:

• Oil Reserves: 1.8 trillion barrels, with 167 billion barrels recoverable using current technology.
• Gas Reserves: 1.36 quadrillion cubic feet, with 144 trillion cubic feet recoverable.
• Production Milestone: Producers routinely exceeded 4 million barrels per day in 2025, supporting the goal to double energy production.

The Energy Accord and Regulatory Reform:

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ottawa marks a significant shift in federal-provincial relations:

• Pipeline Commitment: Ottawa has committed to backing a one-million-barrel-a-day pipeline to the West Coast.
• Legislative Reform: The federal government has agreed to address seven of the nine "bad laws" that previously deterred investment.
• Ongoing Disputes: Alberta continues to challenge federal declarations regarding plastics as toxic and unachievable timelines for net-zero vehicles.
• Policy Wins: The agreement ensures Alberta will not face an emissions cap or the application of federal net-zero power regulations, which previously limited the province's aspirations.

Strategic Infrastructure and Market Diversification:

Alberta is pursuing a "build in all directions" strategy to reduce reliance on the United States.

• West Coast Pipeline (Northern Gateway 2.0): The province is targeting Port of Prince Rupert as the safest and most efficient deep-water port for exports to East Asia. The application for this project is expected to be submitted by June 2026, with a decision requested by the fall.
• Indigenous Co-ownership: Unlike previous models, this pipeline project emphasizes Indigenous co-ownership from the outset. Using the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC), the province provides loan guarantees to ensure nations can hold significant equity stakes (up to 50%), turning energy development into "the new Buffalo" for economic reconciliation.
• International Markets: While the U.S. remains the primary partner (over $100 billion in annual trade), Alberta is aggressively targeting South Korea and China. The Premier noted that China already buys 250,000 barrels a day via TMX and expressed a desire to double total trade with China to $20 billion.

Technology and Environmental Innovation:

The province is leveraging technology to maintain global competitiveness:

• Pathways Alliance: A major carbon capture initiative aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 while simultaneously doubling production. This project is intended to market Western Canada Select as a "low-carbon solution".
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Influenced by practices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Alberta is looking to apply AI to predict infrastructure corrosion and unlock value from historical data. Furthermore, the province is attracting AI data centers, noting that natural gas remains the most feasible fuel to provide the 100% stability required for such facilities.
• Carbon Pricing: Alberta has successfully negotiated to freeze the industrial carbon price at $95 (compared to the federal target of $170), with a long-term target of $130 depending on global market conditions.

Geopolitical Challenges:

• USA and Venezuela: Recent U.S. interventions in Venezuela and President Trump's focus on developing that nation's reserves have created a "fresh wave of uncertainty" for Alberta’s energy security.
• Inter-provincial Relations: Relations with British Columbia are improving as the B.C. government moves toward supporting LNG projects and the "Golden Triangle" of mining, though tensions remain regarding the federal tanker ban.
• Middle East Engagement: Alberta has opened a trade office in Abu Dhabi to strengthen partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in hydrogen, LNG, and sovereign wealth investment strategies.