Unfortunately, investment interest in such areas as petrochemicals and plastics recycling is now deterred by the spectre of the Clean Fuel Standard, which includes a frontal attack on the use of natural gas. According to the government of Canada’s website, “The Clean Fuel Standard regulations will cover all fossil fuels used in Canada. They will set separate requirements for liquid, gaseous, and solid fossil fuels.”
The inclusion of gaseous fuels is unique to this federal program; even California’s standards do not target natural gas. Alberta’s global energy competitors face little to none of these pressures because natural gas is generally valued as an efficient and reliable source of heat. In fact, most jurisdictions view it as a key to emissions reductions as the most effective replacement for coal-powered electricity. Investments in LNG and other downstream uses of natural gas continue at a rapid place all over the world.
So as Alberta leans into being a world leader in the emerging natural gas and hydrogen market to reboot the Canadian economy while contributing to global environmental gains, Ottawa is rowing in the opposite direction, threatening to become the world leader in taxing natural gas.
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