Alberta 
Alberta regulator declines environmental assessment for carbon capture project
The Alberta Energy Regulator is denying a request from a First Nation and group of environmental organizations for an environmental assessment of the Pathways Alliance’s proposed carbon capture project. The $16.5-billion project aims to connect 13 oilsands sites in northern Alberta to an underground storage site south of Cold Lake, using 600 kilometres of carbon dioxide pipelines. The Pathways Alliance is composed of Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil, MEG Energy and ConocoPhillips Canada, which collectively represent 95 per cent of oilsands production. The alliance claims the project is critical to their ability to cut emissions. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allen Adam said with his nation’s treaty rights on the line, they will fight the AER’s decision “tooth and nail.” “There’s a reason the AER doesn’t want to put the Pathways project through an environmental assessment,” he said. “It is because it will expose the environmental impacts, the poor economic viability and the risks to human health. Instead of a comprehensive environmental assessment, the Pathways Alliance is splitting its megaproject into 126 smaller segments for the regulator, with multiple applications for various licences filed with the AER. “Project-splitting is a loophole that allows large industrial projects to steamroll ahead while ignoring cumulative impacts – putting Albertans, Indigenous communities, and ecosystems at risk of harm,” said Phillip Meintzer, a conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association. According to a study from Oil Change International published in August, Canada is among the top three financiers of carbon capture and fossil hydrogen projects, having provided US$3.8 billion worth of subsidies to date. At the same time, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, widely considered to be the gold standard for climate science, ranks carbon capture as the most expensive and least effective option to reduce emissions.
Source: Canada’s National Observer
Electricity Prices for Alberta
The Alberta power pool price averaged 7.127 cents per kWh in November 2024. This price is 1.365 cents higher than last month’s average of 5.762 cents. The pool price has averaged 6.492 cents per kWh over the last 12 months.
As of December 1, 2024, the forward market was predicting electricity prices for the calendar years of 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029. These prices are 5.904, 5.086, 5.324, 6.000, 6.825, and 6.925 cents per kWh respectively.
Gas Prices for Alberta
Direct Energy’s gas rate for November 2024 was $1.955 per GJ in Alberta. The December 2024 rate has been set at $2.123 per GJ. Alberta gas prices have averaged $1.719 per GJ over the last 12 months.
As of December 1, 2024, the forward market was predicting gas prices for the calendar years of 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. These prices are 1.94, 1.99, 2.89, 2.97, and 3.07 cents per GJ respectively.
British Columbia 
New Report Flags Mounting Risks for B.C. LNG Projects
British Columbia’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects will be outcompeted on price, making them even more vulnerable as global markets muscle out fossil fuels, warns a new report. “LNG terminals are massive, capital-intensive infrastructure projects with long payback periods and even longer lifespans,” writes the financial think tank. “While the oil and gas industry may attest that LNG is a transition-proof fuel, the reality is that such investments, like all fossil fuels investments, are increasingly exposed to significant transition risks as energy systems develop, and risk becoming financially stranded.” In this shifting market, five LNG export projects are expected to come online in B.C. over the next decade. Two are fully sanctioned, while the others await regulatory approval or remain in the proposal stage. The feasibility of investing in LNG exports relies on the ability to sell it to countries in Asia. But price volatility has made LNG less attractive to some importing nations like those in Southeast Asia, potentially undercutting the anticipated market for B.C.’s LNG. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis recently highlighted how international conflicts have increased this price volatility, with extreme month-to-month price fluctuations of up to 29% even when other commodities are unaffected. By decade’s end, the LNG market is expected to be oversupplied, with a surge in new production coming online. And by then, global gas demand will likely plateau and begin to fall, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Even fossil fuel giants like BP and Shell have recently scaled back their LNG demand forecasts, and Carbon Tracker cautions that B.C.’s planned LNG projects risk generating “lower than expected returns” across all three of the IEA’s demand scenarios—fast, moderate, and slow energy transitions.
Source: The Energy Mix
Ontario 
Ontario site selected for nuclear waste underground repository
A region in northern Ontario was chosen Thursday as the site to hold Canada’s nuclear waste in a deep geological repository, a critical milestone in a $26-billion, decades-long project to bury millions of used fuel bundles underground. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization, a non-profit body funded by the corporations that generate nuclear power and waste, announced that Ignace in northwestern Ontario will be the site, after both the town’s council and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation were willing to move forward. The First Nation will ensure that its role as guardians of the land and water remains central to the decision-making process, Wetelainen and the council said, and the project can only continue if it can be proven to be built safely, with respect to the environment and in a way that protects Anishinaabe values. “As our government expands our zero-emissions nuclear fleet to meet rising energy demand, Ontario is cementing its position as a world leader in all parts of the nuclear life cycle – this achievement by NWMO is just the latest example,” Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce said. But environmental groups are concerned about the project, in part because there are no deep geological repositories to store nuclear waste around the world yet in operation. Brennain Lloyd, with We the Nuclear Free North, said there are several issues with the NWMO’s process in determining sites, host communities and willingness, and called the whole project experimental.
Source: Global News
Saskatchewan 
Saskatchewan Environmental Society calls on province to improve its climate ambition.
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) has released a list of actions it wants taken by the province to limit climate change. In a letter addressed to Premier Scott Moe and Environment Minister Warren Kaeding, the group provides 25 recommendations in areas including electricity generation, transportation, the oil and gas sector and protected areas. SES wants policy measures in place to achieve a 45 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 — a recommendation laid out by the United Nations. The group also wants to see carbon neutrality achieved by 2050. “One billion tonnes. That is the amount of manmade greenhouse gas pollution the province of Saskatchewan has released into Earth’s atmosphere in the past 14 years,” reads a statement by the SES. Peter Prebble, an SES board member, pointed to Saskatchewan weather and climate events from this past summer — such as severe drought and wildfires — which suggested climate change made conditions worse in the province.
Source: Global News
Manitoba 
Winnipeg councilor frustrated after committee rejects motion to study natural gas alternatives
Last month, the city’s climate action and resilience committee — an advisory body made up of citizen appointees and chaired by a member of council — passed a motion calling on the city to study “tools and mechanisms available to phase out the use of natural gas” in both existing and new buildings. The water and waste committee voted 2-1 to receive the motion as information, meaning the committee did not direct city staff to take any action. The city’s Community Energy Investment Roadmap, a guiding document adopted by council to help the city improve its energy efficiency, states that buildings produce 44 per cent of the city’s total carbon emissions. It sets a goal of converting all buildings to electric heating by 2050. Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) was the only member of the water and waste committee who voted in support of the study. Mayes said the municipal government should look at retrofitting its own buildings, if it can’t take on the task of converting the entire city. A city report released in September 2023 identified 15 buildings the city could retrofit at a cost of nearly $51 million. That would reduce the city’s carbon tax payments by roughly $9 million from 2023 to 2030. After voting to take no action on the motion to study phasing out natural gas, the committee approved another motion from Mayes, asking the province for an update on creating a new geothermal utility.
Source: CBC
New Brunswick 
New Brunswick premier confirms her Liberal government will draft carbon pricing plan
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt confirmed Tuesday that her newly elected Liberal government will draft a carbon pricing plan that will be submitted for Ottawa’s approval. Holt said people in New Brunswick continue to struggle with the rising cost of living. Her government plans to remove the province’s four-cents-a-litre gas tax and then submit to Ottawa a “made-in-New-Brunswick climate plan” that recognizes the province’s situation. During the recent provincial election campaign, Holt said a Liberal government would draw up a plan that would ensure large emitters of carbon would pay for their emissions. She said she wanted to see how her government could incentivize people to change behaviour and not just penalize them.
Source: City News
Prince Edward Island 
One small solar panel started big East Coast dreams for energy self-sufficiency
A clean energy revolution in a Prince Edward Island First Nation was started by one small solar panel system atop the community’s school. It was the nation’s only claim to renewable energy in 2021. But then, Drew Bernard, the ambitious young energy leader from Lennox Island First Nation, graduated from community college with a mission to make his nation energy self sufficient. Now, the community of about 400 people is working toward large-scale renewable projects, a revamped greenhouse and a major retrofit campaign on every house. Lennox Island’s vision is to become a provincial energy powerhouse by developing their own non-profit utility to ensure electricity rates remain low and affordable for their people. It’s a model he saw work in the neighbouring township, Summerside. The town operates its own non-profit utility and a massive solar farm. The solar project emerged from an energy opportunity assessment that Lennox Island completed early in Bernard’s role as energy lead for his nation. He took the proposal to the government, with a reminder of the province’s clean energy targets and the necessity for reconciliation. A verbal agreement to transfer the land was made, and this year, Lennox Island received the letter of intent along with $2 million from the federal government for pre-development work. However, Lennox Island is not only interested in major energy projects. The First Nation has taken a holistic approach to the energy transition. The community’s energy audit has led to energy-efficient retrofits, sometimes called the “unseen” battleground against climate change. In addition, electric-charging stations — two Level Two and one Level Three — have been installed to prepare for the switch to electric vehicles.
Source: Canada’s National Observer
Québec 
Quebec plans to achieve 100% renewable energy in buildings
The Government of Quebec is aiming to remove fossil fuels from all buildings, except those in the industrial sector, by 2040. The goal is to phase out fossil fuels for heating buildings and ensure a transition to renewable energy, “while considering Quebec’s energy supply capacity.” In recent months, several municipalities, with Prévost in the Laurentians being the first, have banned the installation of gas systems in new residences. The decarbonization plan includes changes to two regulations. The Regulation on Oil Heating Appliances will be expanded to prohibit “the installation of natural gas heating appliances in new residential buildings of less than 600 square metres and three stories or fewer, to prioritize electrification.” The regulation concerning the amount of renewable source gas to be delivered by a distributor will also be modified to strengthen the obligation for “gas distributors to gradually reduce the amount of fossil natural gas delivered to residential, commercial, and institutional consumers.” As a result, existing buildings that are supplied with natural gas will need to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy, except for the residential sector in the Outaouais region.
Source: City News
Newfoundland and Labrador 
Canada Invests in Clean Energy and Critical Minerals at Mineral Resources Review 2024 Conference
While attending the Minerals Resources Review 2024 conference in St. John’s, Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced an investment of over $660,000 through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) to support the Labrador West Transmission Study, which will help expand transmission infrastructure to support mining in Labrador West. The funding will help Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro upgrade a 735-kilovolt transmission line between Churchill Falls and Labrador West; facilitate existing and potential iron ore and critical minerals projects in the region; and increase current access to hydroelectricity and, potentially, future access to wind energy. Minister Wilkinson also took the opportunity to highlight $1 million in funding that has been provided through the Critical Minerals Geoscience Data (CMGD) initiative to the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador. This funding will generate new public geoscience data to support the exploration and sustainable development of critical minerals (including cobalt, copper, nickel and platinum) in the region; and help position Newfoundland and Labrador mining projects as providers of choice for the minerals that are key to clean technologies such as solar panels and electric vehicle batteries.
Source: Government of Canada
Nova Scotia 
New Halifax organics facility turns food waste into high-grade compost
The new organics waste facility in Goodwood, which opened in September, handles all the waste from across the capital region. Sean Hagan, general manager for AIM Environmental Management, which runs the facility, said new technology allows them to process waste quicker than ever before. The waste is brought in, shredded and then packed into large containers, or vessels. Hagan said they can then control the moisture, air and pH levels in the vessels to speed up the composting process. The material is then moved into another area to form numerous piles, with the entire cycle taking about three months, when it used to take a year or more. The former facilities turned out poor-quality compost that was too wet and acidic to meet provincial Environment Department guidelines. But now the end result is class A compost that is sold to a local agricultural company. “So old food is now new food for plants. And this is a process for us to really improve the environment, and economically this makes a lot of sense,” said Kirk Symonds, manager of education and promotion for Halifax’s solid waste department. The building also has multiple odour-controlling measures that Hagan said have literally been a “breath of fresh air.” The air scrubbing process creates a second product the facility can sell to farmers: ammonium sulfate, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer. The facility now handles about 53,000 tonnes of waste a year with a capacity of 60,000 that could be extended to 75,000 tonnes.
Source: CBC
Nunavut 
ALTRA | SANEXEN wins Brownie Award for groundbreaking Arctic remediation projects
ALTRA | SANEXEN, in partnership with Qikiqtaaluk Environmental, has been awarded the esteemed Brownie Award for their exceptional work in decontaminating multiple high-priority sites across Nunavut. This recognition highlights the company’s 25-year commitment to environmental restoration in Canada’s Arctic region. For over a quarter-century, ALTRA | SANEXEN and Qikiqtaaluk Environmental have been at the forefront of environmental restoration in the Canadian Arctic, spearheading numerous Federal Site Remediation projects on former Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line and Long-Range Navigation Sites. The project site presented a formidable challenge with its intricate soil contamination profile, featuring a hazardous mix of organic and inorganic compounds, including persistent petroleum hydrocarbons. A multifaceted solution not only addressed the site’s complex contamination issues but also paved the way for sustainable urban development. The team’s expertise in addressing these multifaceted challenges in the harsh Arctic environment has been crucial in restoring these ecologically sensitive areas. Their work not only tackles the immediate contamination issues but also contributes to the long-term environmental health and cultural preservation of Canada’s North.
Source: Environment Journal
Northwest Territories 
Historic partnership to protect nature on Indigenous lands in NWT
Safeguarding nature against climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution requires collective efforts and a shared commitment to environmental conservation and stewardship. Through partnerships with Indigenous peoples, all levels of government, and the private sector, we can protect the ecosystems on which we all depend. Safeguarding nature against climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution requires collective efforts and a shared commitment to environmental conservation and stewardship. Through partnerships with Indigenous peoples, all levels of government, and the private sector, we can protect the ecosystems on which we all depend. Indigenous-led stewardship helps land, water, and communities thrive and is a cornerstone of Canada’s plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and fight climate change. The Government of Canada is committed to meaningful engagement with Indigenous peoples and will continue to seek feedback and perspectives from Indigenous governments and organizations on the NWT: Our Land for the Future.
Source: Environment Journal
Yukon 
Yukon gov’t again reports emissions down per resident, while total emissions continue to climb
Each Yukoner appears to be responsible for fewer greenhouse gas emissions, but population growth may be undermining progress on reducing the territory’s overall emissions, suggests a new report. Carbon emissions across the Yukon continue to rise, states the territory’s latest progress report on Our Clean Future, its climate change strategy. The Yukon’s population has increased by 26 per cent over 12 years. Emissions likewise have increased, by six percentage points compared to 2010 levels, which doesn’t account for the mining industry (dealing with mining emissions is part of a separate process). In total, the jump in emissions is even higher, at 10 per cent over that period. Still, ministers and civil servants say don’t fret — numbers like these are in keeping with what the Our Clean Future plan sets out to accomplish by the end of the decade, which is a 45 per cent reduction in emissions — a goal that at least one advisory group said would require a “war-like” effort to pull off. Most of the territory’s emissions are from transportation, which accounts for more than half of total carbon emissions, the report states. After that, it’s heating and electricity. It appears gas and diesel vehicles still rule the road. Respectively — and not including mining — they represent 23 and 15 per cent of emissions. The report states as of last year 344 electric vehicles were registered in the territory, and all communities with road access have chargers for them. More than 150 heating devices, including heating pumps and thermal storage systems, have also been installed.
Source: CBC