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Alberta Announces Significant Updates to TIER Regulation

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The Government of Alberta yesterday announced that it will introduce significant amendments to the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) regulation this fall. The proposed changes will (1) add on-site emission reductions investments as a compliance pathway and (2) provide flexibility for small emitters to opt out of the TIER system in 2025. Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz announced the changes in an afternoon news conference. This bulletin briefly summarizes the expected amendments and the government’s next steps. Regulatory amendments. The proposed updates to the TIER system include:  Compliance through direct investment in on-site emission reductions. Recognizing on-site emissions reduction investments as a new pathway for facilities to comply with the TIER system, in addition to the current suite of available compliance options. The government anticipates that a new standard will be developed to support the new compliance pathway, which is expected to be structured around project investments over an eight-year period (five years forward, three years back) and could include investments in projects such as the Pathways CCS project. A facility would be allowed to use this compliance pathway to fulfill up to 90% of its TIER compliance obligation. Under the current TIER regulation, a facility can meet its compliance obligation by (a) reducing on-site emissions, including by applying capture recognition tonnes (CRTs) to lower the facility’s total regulated emissions (TRE); (b) submitting emission offset credits (EOs); (c) submitting emissions performance credits (EPCs); and/or (d) purchasing fund credits by paying into the TIER Fund at the prescribed TIER Fund Price (currently frozen at $95 per tonne CO2e).  Opt-out for small facilities. Allowing smaller facilities that currently participate in the TIER system to leave or opt out. TIER applies to large facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2e per year, while smaller facilities have been able to opt-in to the TIER system under…

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I4PC Files Greenwashing Complaint with Alberta Securities Regulator

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Investors for Paris Compliance (I4PC), a shareholder advocacy organization, yesterday filed a complaint with the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC), alleging that two major energy companies have engaged in misleading disclosure regarding their net zero plans. The complaint targets Cenovus Energy and Enbridge Inc., two reporting issuers that are principally regulated in Alberta. A copy of the full complaint is available here [PDF]. The complaint is based on section 92(4.1) of the Securities Act (Alberta), which prohibits reporting issuers from making misleading or untrue statements that would reasonably be expected to have a significant effect on the market price or value of a security, as well as CSA Staff Notice 51-333 Environmental Reporting Guidance and CSA Staff Notice 51-358 Reporting of Climate Change-related Risks. The complaint also makes reference to the anti-greenwashing provisions of the Competition Act that were introduced through Bill C-59. Submissions. I4PC submits that: Cenovus and Enbridge have a “core net zero contradiction” by engaging in significant fossil fuel expansion while claiming alignment with net zero; Cenovus and Enbridge have consistently failed to meet core transition metrics on net zero, particularly around capital expenditures; Cenovus and Enbridge have consistently engaged in “overly promotional disclosure regarding net zero”, both directly and via associations; and Cenovus has been allowed to foster investor uncertainty with lack of clarity regarding its net zero commitment (which I4PC expressly ties to Cenovus’ withdrawal of net-zero disclosures prompted by Bill C-59). Remedies Sought. I4PC requests that the ASC grant the following remedies:  An investigation be launched into existing and past climate disclosures of Cenovus and Enbridge to assess the accuracy and adequacy of their disclosures. Because the practices of Cenovus and Enbridge are repeated by other Alberta-registered oil and gas companies, that the investigation also consider evidence from peers and competitors. That overly promotional disclosure in relation to net…

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Major Oil Sands Companies Announce Net Zero Initiative

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Five of Canada’s largest oil sands producers operating 90% of oil sands production, including Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Imperial, and MEG Energy, today announced the Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero initiative (the Initiative). The Initiative aims to work collectively with the federal and Albertan governments to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canadian oil sands operations by 2050 and help Canada to meet its Paris Agreement and 2050 net zero commitments.  This bulletin provides key highlights from the announcement. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage. The Initiative proposes collaborating with industry and government to create a Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) CO2 trunkline system connecting oil sands facilities in the Fort McMurray and Cold Lake regions to a sequestration hub in Cold Lake with the potential for future links to the Edmonton region, modeled on similar systems in Norway and CCUS projects in the Netherlands, U.K., and U.S. Investment. The Initiative will require significant investment by industry and government in research and development for new and emerging technologies, such as direct air capture, aimed at reducing and removing GHG emissions as well as deploying GHG reduction technology, including hydrogen, process improvements, energy efficiency, fuel switching, and electrification. Indigenous Partnerships. The Initiative will seek to partner and work with the federal and Alberta governments, to ensure that local Indigenous communities benefit from both emissions reductions and Canadian resource development. For further information or to discuss the contents of this bulletin, please contact Lisa DeMarco at lisa@resilientllp.com.

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