Alberta Minute: Reckless Targets, War Room, and Photo Radar Reduction

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

This Week In Alberta:

• The Province is considering reducing the number of photo radar sites by 80 to 90%. Alberta currently has 2,400 photo radar locations, significantly more than other provinces, which have between 200 and 400. While Minister of Transportation Devin Dreeshan stated that photo radar in Alberta would be used solely to improve traffic safety, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi argued that the reduction could lead to reduced revenue as well as higher costs due to an increased need for police officers. The changes are expected by December.
  
  
• Alberta is increasing fines to prevent the spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species. Starting June 20th, fines will rise from $324 to $4,200 for failing to stop at an open inspection station with a trailered boat, and from $180 to $600 for not removing a bilge plug when transporting a watercraft, making them the highest fines in North America. The Province says that these measures will ensure boats are properly drained, inspected, and invasive-species-free before entering Alberta.
  
  
• Applications are now open for Alberta's Major Sport Event grant, which provides up to $250,000 per event to support national and international competitions. Announced on June 14th, the grant can be used for costs like facility rentals, venue enhancements, promotional campaigns, and broadcasting. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria such as the advancement of sport and tourism, economic impact, and taxpayer value, with a deadline of July 15th.

Last Week In Alberta:

• Premier Danielle Smith urged Ottawa to provide more financial support for settling newcomers in the province, which sees a significant portion of new immigrants. Speaking at the Western Premiers’ Conference, Smith highlighted the need for federal assistance to manage population growth and match newcomers to available jobs. She cited an agreement where Quebec received $750 million from the federal government for immigrant support and called for similar funding for Alberta. Smith emphasized that Alberta's population grew by 4.4% in 2023, with international migration being a major contributor.
  
  
• The Alberta government highlighted a new federal advisory committee report as evidence against Ottawa's 2035 clean electricity targets. The report, from the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, suggests targeted federal financial support and flexible timelines for provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, which rely heavily on natural gas. Alberta has proposed a 2050 net-zero goal, citing the need for time to implement technologies like carbon capture. Premier Danielle Smith criticized federal climate regulations as unrealistic. Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson dismissed Alberta’s reaction to the advisory report as purely political. He mentioned that the federal government has been attentive to Alberta's concerns regarding flexibility and intends to unveil an updated version of its clean electricity regulations later in the year.
  
  
• It was announced that Alberta's energy "war room," the Canadian Energy Centre (CEC), is being shut down, and future advocacy work will be done by existing government departments. The CEC aimed to combat misinformation about the province’s oil and gas industry. According to its 2023 annual report, approximately $22 million was spent on ads from April 2021 to March 2022, but limited details were provided on the outcomes. The CEC faced controversy since its launch, being characterized as a massive waste of taxpayer money.

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