By Jairo Yunis
and Steven Globerman
The Fraser Institute
The Alberta government recently introduced Bill 22 (the Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act), delivering on a campaign promise to streamline regulations across the provincial government.
While details aren’t yet clear, the bill proposes a whopping 14 legislative changes across six ministries. Proposed changes include removing residency requirements for non-profit and corporate boards, giving more powers to the Surface Rights Board to expedite compensation to landowners and reducing trade barriers for grazing leases.
More importantly, the bill echoes our previous recommendations for energy development: eliminating non-functional regulations, reducing approval timelines, and emphasizing efficiency and certainty in the approval process.
Jairo Yunis
We welcome the proposal to eliminate cabinet approval of new oil sands development projects for three specific reasons.
First, it automatically reduces the approval timeline for projects. As documented in previous reports, Alberta suffers long wait times for project approvals compared to other energy jurisdictions.
Second, it removes politics from a decision that should be based on each project’s merits after a proper consideration of all the costs and benefits affecting Albertans. If the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) approves a project, after suitably consulting with First Nations, assessing environmental concerns, and carefully weighing other costs and benefits, there’s no need for a political rubber stamp. Responsible energy development should be a long-term public policy goal and not subject to the ideological preferences of any political party.
Third, and most important, Bill 22 will provide much-needed certainty for future investment decisions. Companies should face a substantially reduced risk of project rejection based on politically-motivated cabinet decisions. This will create a more predictable and attractive investment environment, something we strongly recommended in our study last year.
Steven Globerman
A poor investment climate has helped produce a dramatic decline in oil and gas investments in Alberta.
Bill 22 adds to the recently introduced Bill 7, which would allow the government to set maximum time limits on approvals for energy projects. This is a step in the right direction, as it addresses a policy failure that’s been hurting Alberta’s competitiveness.
We don’t believe, as some might argue, that these changes will diminish Alberta’s regulatory oversight of energy development. They shouldn’t reduce stakeholder consultations or weaken environmental supervision.
The AER can and should continue to improve its processes to ensure the safe, efficient, orderly and environmentally-responsible development of energy in the province.
Stakeholder consultations and environmental evaluations aren’t only necessary but might also lead to project improvements. For example, modifications might be identified that reduce a development’s environmental footprint without compromising its economic benefits, thereby increasing the project’s overall net benefits.
In this regard, the proposed legislation promises improved social outcomes compared to the status quo.
Canadians broadly and Albertans specifically should welcome the provincial government’s plan to improve energy competitiveness by reducing non-functional regulations and uncertainty as they affect the approval process for energy development.
Streamlining regulations, shortening timelines, reducing uncertainty and removing political risk are all laudable initiatives that will better reconcile the goals of sustainable energy development, environmental protection and social cohesion.
Jairo Yunis and Steven Globerman are analysts at the Fraser Institute.
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The views, opinions and positions expressed by columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of our publication.
