Energy Minister Mel Knight will announce today whether the Alberta government intends to extend temporary energy incentives for natural gas, says Jerry Bellikka, Alberta Energy spokesperson.
The announcement follows the Fraser Institute’s annual Global Petroleum Survey, criticizing Alberta’s investment climate. The province ranked 92nd of 143 jurisdictions, fairing only slightly better than the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
“What happened to the Alberta advantage?” asks senior economist and survey co-ordinator Gerry Angevine, blaming punitive royalties, native land claims and regulatory uncertainties for Alberta’s devastating performance in this year’s survey.
“I think there’s a message here for the government if they’re interested in attracting investment in this globally competitive economy,” said Angevine
It’s a message not well-received by the province. Bellikka dismissed the study as narrow and biased, arguing there is no correlation between today’s announcement and yesterday’s report.
with files from Amy Gregson
