Thank you.
Greetings. I am Catherine Brownlee. I was raised on a farm in central Alberta, guided by parents who strived to ensure safety for their children while instilling the belief that serving and supporting others would contribute to a strong economy and grow a robust community. As a member of Alberta Enterprise Group, or AEG, for more than six years, and now the president, I can attest that my parents’ philosophy and traditional mindset holds true today.
As a leader of AEG, I wish to introduce, demonstrate and underscore the efforts and successes that we as a collective entity, combined with Alberta as a whole, have accomplished locally and on the world stage. I am proud to state that AEG members employ more than 150,000 Albertans and generate billions in economic activity each year.
The AEG formed in 2007, when a group of business leaders banded together to create an ambitious new business advocacy organization striving to make Alberta a better place to live and do business while generating prosperity for all Albertans. We inform public policy-makers on complex and challenging issues facing the province and the country by stimulating and guiding the business climate and subsequently perpetuating real and necessary changes, the value of which benefits the entire nation and the globe.
As a province, Alberta is on the leading edge of some of the most influential and beneficial programs designed to minimize the grave effects of climate change while restoring confidence to local and global markets, and primarily to Albertans. For example, over the past three years, Alberta has invested over $1 billion from the technology innovation and emissions reduction fund to support clean technology development and innovation. Alberta is on course to fully transition away from coal-powered electricity by the end of 2023, seven years ahead of the federal target. In fact, as of January 1, 2020, the Alberta emissions offset system has enabled oil and gas operators to voluntarily switch to low- or zero-emitting devices that will result in reductions of almost two megatons of CO2 equivalent.
Advocating for issues that significantly impact the current and future economic climate of our province is a challenge that few have embraced. As a small trading jurisdiction, but geographically in the heart of the matter, Alberta must persevere as an active player on the national and international stage. The best way to maintain our competitive position is to build bridges to new markets, to welcome those wanting to invest, and to be active and present wherever Alberta’s interests are in play. An example is the baseline and reduction opportunity assessment program, which provides $10 million in funding to support small and medium-sized oil and gas operators to conduct detailed assessments of methane reduction opportunities and fugitive emissions.
As a result of technological innovation, Alberta's oil sands producers have reduced emissions per barrel by 36% since 2000, 22% over the past decade, with leading producers on track to another 16% to 23% cost reduction over the next 10 years. New methane regulations set a target to reduce emissions by 45% by 2025.
AEG has delivered the Alberta business story to thousands of influencers and decision-makers at all levels of government. Our outreach missions to Washington, Ottawa, Montreal and Switzerland continue to broadcast the value of Alberta business to the world. With this comes education and sound leadership.
Regarding inactive and orphaned sites, Alberta established the site rehab program using $1 billion of federal COVID-19 funds designed specifically to reduce insolvencies within the oil field service sector while generating employment to a broad scale of professionals. This past spring and summer, Alberta made major adjustments to the levies and new policies on mandatory closer targets.
As an organization, AEG has an extensive track record of promoting the province as an investment destination, telling the Alberta story and building networks of support for increased economic development and co-operation. We remain on the front of all matters of business and economy for Alberta. We are clearly Alberta's most powerful and fully engaged business network.
As I hope I have outlined to this committee, Alberta businesses are on the cutting edge of technological innovation, emissions reduction, and green innovation. Given that Alberta is already a leader in this field, it does cause us to wonder as business leaders what the positive impact would be of another Ottawa-based framework, as proposed in this bill.
