Evidence of meeting #18 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pipeline.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
Excellent. Thank you.
Mr. Hubbard, Wind West provides Atlantic Canada with a great opportunity to grow our economy and renewable energy capacity. How will the recent changes made to the IAAC and the creation of the MPO help better facilitate these kinds of projects?
President, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
One of the big changes we're moving forward on to be able to support the development of these projects is pursuing co-operation and collaboration agreements with provincial governments across the country, as well as the two-year service standard I mentioned earlier, to be able to provide certainty, clarity and predictability on how these processes are going to operate.
It will enable us to focus federally on core areas within federal jurisdiction, ensure that we have a rigorous and robust assessment of those key issues, including related consultations, and provide predictability and certainty for those investors.
Liberal
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here.
The agreement between Canada and Alberta refers to an increase in the transportation capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline from 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a day.
If there's no carbon capture and sequestration, how much greenhouse gas would an increase of 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a day of oil from the oil sands correspond to, on average?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
I don't have those numbers with me, but we'd be able to provide something to the committee.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
You'll be able to provide us with that data. Could you also provide us with the assessment for the pipeline project of one million barrels a day, so that we have all the figures?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Yes, I'd be happy to do that.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Okay.
Regarding the Pathways Plus carbon capture and sequestration project, which is also part of the agreement and is a flagship project of the government—there are tax credits—are you able to say what greenhouse gas emission reductions are expected?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
I don't have those numbers with me, but the idea is to bring down the emissions intensity associated with the oil in the oil sands.
Again, there is no project at this point related to the pipeline and we don't have the details related to the Pathways project. We can provide estimates back to the committee.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Are you saying you don't have them, or are you saying you can't provide them to us?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
I don't have them with me, but I'm happy to share information with the committee as it is available.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Okay. Thank you.
The agreement between Canada and Alberta includes the idea of removing regulations on clean electricity in Alberta.
Can you tell us which emissions are linked to electricity generation in Alberta today and what the impact would be if these regulations were removed, as planned?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
As the minister said when she was here, what we have right now is an agreement between Alberta and Canada to try to find a pathway to secure an agreement. At this stage, we have a lot of work to do.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I'm sorry, but I'm going to rephrase my question.
What are Alberta's greenhouse gas emissions related to electricity generation today?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
I don't have those numbers here with me. What I am saying is that we are in a process where we have a significant amount of work to do with the Province of Alberta to get to an agreement to get—
Bloc
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment
As the minister said, the clean electricity regulations are not binding on the province until 2035. The effective impact of that on the province now would be zero.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
You're telling me that abandoning regulations, if necessary, would have no impact on greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 or even by 2035. Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment
That's for the moment.
You asked me what the impact of regulatory emissions was this year, and I said that there was no impact this year.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I'm not talking about this year. I'm talking about the greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030. I'm talking about an action plan where there are emissions regulations. If Alberta no longer has this obligation to reduce its emissions, what will the impact be on achieving your 2030 targets?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment
As the minister said, we will be talking to the Government of Alberta to see what measures will be taken—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I'm sorry, but the question isn't whether you'll have discussions.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment
So it's impossible to know now what the effects will be—
Bloc
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment
—before we have that agreement.
