Alberta Minute: Issue 310

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

📅  This Week In Alberta: 📅

• Dow Chemical has paused construction on its $11.6-billion Path2Zero net-zero petrochemical project in Alberta due to economic uncertainty and market conditions. The company cited global economic volatility, including factors such as the ongoing tariff issues, as the reason for delaying the project, which aims to reduce carbon emissions at its Fort Saskatchewan site. While Dow is slowing construction to preserve cash, the long-term plan for the project remains intact. Economic experts have pointed to the impact of fluctuating global markets and tariffs as a key factor in the decision. Despite the pause, related infrastructure projects, like the Yellowhead Mainline pipeline, are proceeding as planned.
  
  
• Alberta’s Agriculture Minister, RJ Sigurdson, is urging the next federal government to prioritize resolving trade disputes that are negatively affecting Alberta’s agricultural sector, particularly with China and the U.S. Sigurdson pointed to retaliatory Chinese tariffs on canola products, which have escalated due to a broader trade conflict, as a major issue for local producers. He emphasized the importance of Canada’s trade relationship with the US, especially under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which has been beneficial for North American agriculture. Sigurdson also called for immediate action to protect this agreement and ensure the stability of food security and affordability across the continent.
  
  
• Speaking of agriculture, the Government of Alberta is providing over $7.4 million in one-time funding to seven regional agricultural societies across the province, including those in Red Deer, Camrose, Olds, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, and Grande Prairie. This funding aims to help these societies manage rising operational costs and support long-term sustainability. It includes $4.03 million for addressing costs and $2.87 million for business transformation projects. The investment is in addition to the $2.8 million annually provided through the Agricultural Societies Grant Program. Alberta's government based its funding strategy on a 2024 sustainability assessment conducted by Deloitte.
  
  
• Alberta NDP MLA Christina Gray has introduced Bill 210, which aims to regulate how tips are handled in the hospitality industry to ensure that service workers receive fair compensation. Currently, tips are not considered wages in Alberta, and in some cases, they are withheld by business owners rather than being given to the workers who earned them. The bill would bring Alberta in line with other Canadian jurisdictions. While some businesses already ensure tips go to staff, others may use them to fund operations. The Alberta Hospitality Association supports the bill, emphasizing the need to protect tip pooling for support staff while ensuring owners do not improperly benefit from gratuities. Gray hopes to gain bipartisan support for the bill.
  
  
• Alberta is joining the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation as its first North American member, with Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen attending the 71st General Assembly in Doha, Qatar. Loewen aims to promote Alberta as a prime hunting destination to boost the outfitting industry and create job opportunities while fostering global partnerships in wildlife management and conservation. During his trip, Loewen will also meet with experts on human-wildlife conflicts in the UK to further promote Alberta's hunting opportunities in Europe. The government will post Loewen's mission expenses online, and his itinerary includes meetings with key wildlife stakeholders in both Qatar and the UK.
  
  
• A record number of over 815,000 Albertans voted at advance polling stations for the 2025 federal election, marking an increase of about 169,000 from 2021. The Calgary Crowfoot riding had the highest turnout in Alberta, with over 33,700 advance voters, ranking fourth nationwide. While the rise in advance voting could hint at a higher overall turnout, other recent elections with high rates of advance voting have had reduced election day turnout, leading to similar overall turnout in the end.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

It’s Election Day! Voters from coast to coast are casting their ballots to decide who will form the next government. Make sure you take the opportunity to have your voice heard.

Need details on where to vote, what ID to bring, or who’s running in your riding? Visit the Elections Canada website for everything you need to know:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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