Statement Following the 2022 Energy and Mines Ministers' Conference

Released on July 8, 2022

Key takeaways from this year's EMMC

The 2022 meeting of the Energy and Mines Ministers' Conference (EMMC) was held in St. John's, Newfoundland. Unfortunately, federal energy and environmental policies continue to make life unaffordable for Canadians by inhibiting industry's ability to produce Canada's world-class resource products.

"Although there were productive discussions in some areas, unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity for the federal government to have important conversations addressing global energy shortages with the jurisdictions who are ultimately responsible for overseeing oil and gas production and regulations," Minister of Energy and Resources Jim Reiter said. "Rather than imposing unachievable, baseless targets and caps on industry, the Trudeau government needs to work with them to build infrastructure and get our sustainable products to market".

Canada and Saskatchewan already have some of the cleanest energy products in the world. Saskatchewan is a global leader in carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology. Oil and gas companies continue to spend more on environmental protection than any other industry in the country. In 2021, Saskatchewan industry reduced greenhouse gas emissions from vented and flared gas at upstream oil facilities by 60 per cent from 2015 levels. As well, Saskatchewan potash production emits 50 per cent fewer emissions than in competing jurisdictions and uranium from northern Saskatchewan will play a vital role in clean nuclear energy technologies.

Current federal policies hurt jobs, limit production, pass costs onto consumers, and keep Canada dependent on energy products from countries with poor environmental and human rights standards. A recent Parliamentary Budget Officer report shows that 60 per cent of households will end up financially worse off when looking at the full cost impact of the carbon tax. Prohibiting generation from fossil fuels under the clean electricity standard will put Saskatchewan's reliable natural gas power sources at risk, with no proven alternatives. The proposed clean fuel standard will increase the price of gasoline and diesel, costing the average Canadian household $132 to $301 a year by 2030.

The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to expanding the province's export infrastructure. Lack of pipeline capacity in Western Canada costs Saskatchewan's producers billions each year and diminishes industry's ability to get essential products to market. Saskatchewan supports the Alberta Court of Appeal's ruling that the federal Impact Assessment Act for approving these resource projects is unconstitutional.

Saskatchewan is taking a practical approach to reducing emissions that supports a robust economy and growth in the traditional energy sector and the over 30,000 jobs it represents. The solution to North American and global energy egress and security issues could be Canadian natural resource products and infrastructure, if federal policies supported this goal.

Minister Reiter is available to discuss this with media today. If you are interested, please let us know. 

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