Alberta and the world

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This month has been been for Alberta, Premier Redford was in India promoting Alberta's agriculture, oil and agrifood. The Indian market is enormous and growing. Our incredible reserves of oil, India's interest in them,  and with our diverse economy any future collaboration can only be beneficial.

"India is an important emerging market and the potential for the country to be a new market for our oil and gas is enormous,...Quite simply, the long-term costs to Alberta of ignoring huge markets like India are incalculable.” Premier Alison Redford 

Redford was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland planned was a potential debate with Al Gore - famous for calling the oil sands and "open sewer".  Perhaps Gore will come to the World Economic Forum on energy and climate change to be held in Alberta April 24-25. It would be an interesting reception.

In Alberta we're looking at $20 Billion ( yes with a B) in projects planned for the heartland;

“We are on the verge of an explosion of development. Shale gas could be as big a resource to Alberta as the oilsands,”  Neil Shelly executive director of the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association 


On a local note these beautiful 1930s homes are free for the taking (and the cost of moving them) near the U of A.  Take a look

Alberta still has work to do

 Although we rank high out of resource rich jurisdictions, a lofty 7 out of 58 regions, we still have to work on environmental assessments, royalties distribution and management of the Heritage Trust Fund are keeping us from really soaring.

"Andrew Bauer, economic analyst with Revenue Watch, said Alberta is “doing really well” but royalties and environmental assessments are in need of improvement.

“These resources belong to the citizens, and the question is always: How do you split the profits between companies who are doing the extraction and the government that owns the resources on behalf of the citizens? 

“Alberta receives a very low share of resource rents relative to other oil- and mineral-rich jurisdictions,” Bauer said. “The discussion around how much Alberta gets and how much Alberta should get, it’s just not happening.”

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In other news

Clark and Redford about to thaw - will the two premiers come to some agreement on the Gateway Pipeline? Read More

Alberta power prices set for summer spikes - are you ready for a big price hike? These kinds of fluctuations in utilities can affect cash-flow if you include utilities in your rent.  Jump here