Alberta's COVID-19 recovery plan lacked green focus enviro ministry

Politics

“The plan doesn’t particularly spotlight inexperienced financial restoration measures or surroundings particular funding initiatives”

Printed Apr 29, 2023 • 2 minute learn

Jonathan Wilkinson served as federal minister of the surroundings and local weather change between November of 2019 and October of 2021. Picture by Blair Gable/Reuters/File

Federal civil servants identified to the federal surroundings and local weather change minister that Alberta’s COVID-19 restoration plan lacked a inexperienced focus, in line with a briefing observe acquired by Postmedia.

The doc, obtained by an entry to data request, was ready for then-Setting Minister Jonathan Wilkinson three days after Alberta Premier Jason Kenney unveiled the plan in late June of 2020.

“Alberta’s restoration plan doesn’t have a inexperienced focus,” the observe reads. “The plan doesn’t particularly spotlight inexperienced financial restoration measures or surroundings particular funding initiatives.”

It goes on to listing the Kenney authorities’s plan to reaffirm Alberta’s funding in Keystone XL, a venture that was cancelled by U.S. President Joe Biden in January of 2021.

Alberta had a $1.5-billion fairness funding within the pipeline and has additionally made a $6-billion mortgage assure that takes impact in 2021. Kenney stated on the time the province may very well be on the hook for about $1 billion.

The observe’s authors cited the Alberta plan’s dedication to wash up oil and fuel websites and put money into clear expertise for emissions and reductions.

It additionally cites “restricted element” within the plan on methods for particular sectors and diversifying Alberta’s financial system.

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Kenney introduced the plan June 30, 2020, amid declining numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations however forward of a much-stronger second wave starting 5 months later.

The observe acknowledges the triple menace Alberta was dealing with on the time: a public well being disaster, world financial contraction, and an unprecedented collapse in vitality costs.

“All the threats come within the wake of 5 years of exhausting financial occasions,” it reads.

Alberta’s plan referred to as for billions of {dollars} in infrastructure spending and a direct lower to the company earnings tax charge as a part of an effort to spice up the financial system.

Alberta’s unemployment charge was over 15 per cent on the time the plan was launched and has remained above the federal common since then, with Edmonton and Calgary having a few of the highest unemployment charges of any Canadian cities over that point.

The observe cites how efforts to range the financial system focus “totally on expertise and normal enterprise attraction” but additionally the lack of a number of tax credit that had been designed to spice up expertise and innovation, together with the scientific analysis and experimental improvement tax credit score, capital funding tax credit score and alberta investor tax credit score.

Wilkinson has since moved on to develop into minister of pure assets with the position of surroundings minister being taken over by Steven Guilbeault in October of 2021.

Kenney narrowly gained a management evaluate in Could of final 12 months, however he would resign as premier quickly after and stepped down as MLA for Calgary-Lougheed in November of 2022.

mblack@postmedia.com

Twitter @ByMatthewBlack

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