Alberta's premier assured a ballroom of rural leaders Wednesday that she does not want to see the province move away from electricity generated from fossil fuels, while complaining about solar panels covering farm land.
"This is a natural gas basin. We are a natural gas province and we will continue to build natural gas power plants because that is what makes sense in Alberta," Danielle Smith said.
"Yes, hydro makes perfect sense in Quebec and B.C. and Manitoba. And Ontario has nuclear and hydro as well. But we have to keep fueling our economy with natural gas power plants."
Smith made the comments at the spring convention of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) that was held in downtown Edmonton. The RMA is made up of 69 counties and municipal districts.
She added that carbon capture and usage will help Alberta meet emissions goals, but didn't mention climate change.
The premier's comments on power came after she was asked about a lack of municipal control in project approval and solar panels covering "prime land" without cleanup bonds in place to make sure companies pay for reclamation.
"I'm supportive of solar and wind projects where they make sense. But I can tell you from conversations with people in my own community that putting solar panels on prime agricultural land does not make sense," Smith responded.
"Especially like the one I drive past in Brooks every day I go down there. It's covered in ice and snow and not generating any power at all."
Jim Wood, mayor of Red Deer County, also asked Smith what Alberta is doing to make sure renewable energy companies clean up projects that one day become defunct.
"The concern is this: Some of these solar may be only viable due to carbon-credit grants and so forth that may not be here forever. The companies may not have enough finances to in fact do the cleanup," Wood said.
"And if they're not viable enough to put a bond up to cover their cleanup, then they're not viable. And I think it needs to be addressed at the start or we're going to have the same problem as the orphan wells. And why would we want to bring that to the province of Alberta?"
Smith said legislation requiring cleanup bonds is an "open question" for her government and one she plans to consult rural leaders on in the future.
The premier has faced widespread criticism lately over a plan to give royalty breaks to oil companies for cleaning up inactive wells, which they're already legally required to.
The province's energy minister last week called the Opposition "anti-oil and gas activists" after an NDP MLA demanded companies pay for the cleanup themselves.
The NDP claims the government's proposed $100 million Liability Management Incentive Program is only the start of a $20 billion giveaway to oil and gas companies.
MLA Marlin Schmidt called the initiative "a scam" in the legislature, drawing a warning from Speaker Nathan Cooper for use of the word.
On Wednesday, Smith acknowledged Alberta first needs to figure out how to get orphan wells reclaimed before requiring renewables companies to do the same, but like wells, believes it will become an issue in the future.
"In the case of wind-turbine farms, as I understand it, when installing them typically is 1,500 truckloads to install them, that means someone has to pay 1,500 truckloads to take them away," she said.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley agreed that there needs to be plans in place to clean up all energy projects, but said the government is going about it in the wrong way.
“Danielle Smith is campaigning on giving billions of taxpayers’ dollars to financially solvent companies that are choosing not to clean up after themselves. She can’t be trusted on this issue," she said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.
Political scientist Duane Bratt said he wasn't surprised by Smith's comments because being loud cheerleaders of the oil and gas industry is a clear strategy of the UCP government.
"When they talk about renewables, they talk about it not working when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining and so pivoting to waste issues on renewables, that's totally on brand," he said.
Last year, Alberta had an installed capacity, the maximum electrical output under specific conditions, of 67 per cent from natural gas and coal and 31 per cent from solar, wind and hydro, according to Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).
In 2019, about 89 per cent of Alberta's electricity came from fossil fuels and 10 per cent from renewables, according to the Canada Energy Regulator.
CTV News has declared a number of seats across the province as election results begin to take shape Monday night.
In Alberta today, the United Conservative Party is looking to win a second consecutive majority government while the NDP is fighting to regain the office it lost in 2019.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is pushing for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside' from his role examining the issue of foreign interference before he embarks on public hearings.
New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan said Monday that Canada's spy agency has confirmed her long-held belief she is being targeted by the Chinese government, as the prime minister granted the NDP's wish to allow more party members to review top-secret intelligence.
William Karlsson, William Carrier and Jonathan Marchessault are finally getting another chance in the Stanley Cup Final, after the first one that came so quick for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Eastern Conference finals Most Valuable Player Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, and Caleb Martin had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the eighth-seeded Miami Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 on Monday night and advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons.
Canadian political leaders and parliamentarians are denouncing a new law passed in Uganda that imposes harsh penalties, including the death penalty, for certain cases involving homosexuality.
Overall health-care costs could be reduced in Canada by providing free prescription drugs to patients, according to a new study.
There's a heightened risk of wildfires across the country during what has been one of the earliest fire seasons on record. From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, here's where the risk is highest.
In Alberta today, the United Conservative Party is looking to win a second consecutive majority government while the NDP is fighting to regain the office it lost in 2019.
CTV News has declared a number of seats across the province as election results begin to take shape Monday night.
One long-time electoral tradition came to an end on election day, when Postmedia announced there would be no printed newspaper announcing the winner in Calgary.
The Blades drafted Benjamin Bowtell in the sixth round of the 2023 Bantam Draft back in April.
A memorial, featuring bouquets and a "ghost bike" now stands at the intersection where a Saskatoon teacher was killed last week.
In a province where there are vast distances between cities and towns, one local group is hoping to get public support for an idea to bridge those gaps with a rail line.
The first twister of 2023 in the country touched down near Regina over the weekend, according to an analysis from the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP).
Weyburn and Fillmore RCMP are at the scene of a serious collision involving multiple vehicles on Highway 13 about 16 kilometres east of Weyburn.
One person from Estevan, Sask. is dead and another is seriously injured following a collision between a pickup truck and a motorcycle on May 28 near Fortuna, North Dakota.
Officials say a wildfire that began in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area Sunday afternoon is ongoing and still not under control.
Roughly 450 homes have been evacuated in Shelburne County as a wildfire burns out of control over thousands of hectares.
Pictures from across Nova Scotia highlight the destruction brought on by two wildfires that are burning out of control in the province.
The Pride Progress flag will not be flying next month outside the York Catholic Education Centre.
New information has emerged about the fatal shooting of an engaged couple fleeing their landlord after a dispute near Hamilton, Ont.
An Ontario woman is on the hook for nearly $9,000 in damages after her uninsured car was hit while stored in a parking lot.
The union representing the majority of Quebec's daycare workers is criticizing the government's decision to launch a skimpy 90-hour training program for people who want to be daycare workers but have no prior experience.
Montreal recorded its first 30-degree temperature of the year on Sunday, and the city could see three more days in the 30s later this week.
A Quebec driver who caused the death of another motorist when he swerved his truck to avoid hitting a family of ducks on the road has been sentenced to eight months in jail and a three-year driving ban.
The Sandy Hill Child Care Centre has an extra two weeks to get its new home up to code months after a fire destroyed its original site on Wilbrod Street.
Ottawa police are praising a local dad for quickly calling for help Sunday afternoon when he accidentally locked his keys in his car, and his infant child along with them.
Ontario Provincial Police say a driver from Augusta Township is facing an impaired driving charge after someone on Highway 416 spotted a vehicle moving erratically.
The rural Oxford County intersection where an OPP officer and a school bus driver were killed Monday was less than a month away from becoming a four-way stop when the deadly crash happened.
The death of an OPP officer Monday morning adds to a growing list of Ontario police officers who have died while on-duty in the past few months.
It was a night of indecision at Waterloo region's catholic school board as trustees went back and forth trying to find the best approach to fill a vacant seat.
An Ontario Provincial Police officer and a school bus driver are dead after a violent crash north of Woodstsock Monday morning.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
One person is in critical condition after hitting a moose on Highway 69 in Greater Sudbury on Friday night, police say.
Winnipeg police say the driver of a motorcycle is in stable condition after a serious crash that shut down a section of Lagimodiere Boulevard.
A Winnipeg family is asking for help to find their missing teenage son whom they haven't seen since he left for school in the Fort Richmond area last Wednesday morning.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
The widow of a man who died trying to save a dog from drowning in West Vancouver is remembering her husband as a brave man with endless compassion.
On Monday, Fraser Health provided two senior leaders to address the latest letter outlining risks to patients, allegations of muzzling, and pleas for help from emergency physicians in the health authority's hospitals.
The president of the BC Trucking Association is issuing renewed calls for safety after a trailer truck smashed into an overhead pass Monday morning in Langley.
Conservation officers have captured and killed six cougars near Victoria this year in response to multiple predatory attacks on sheep farms.
Saanich police are on the lookout for a man who allegedly stole a pricey wheel of cheese from a grocery store last month.
Capital Bike is encouraging Greater Victoria residents to choose cycling as a way to get around the region during "Go By Bike Week," which runs from May 29 to June 4.
