Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
National

Put Oil 'Crisis' On First Ministers' Agenda: Alberta, Saskatchewan Premiers

The Canadian Press, 04 Dec, 2018 11:20 AM
  • Put Oil 'Crisis' On First Ministers' Agenda: Alberta, Saskatchewan Premiers
Alberta and Saskatchewan want issues facing the oilpatch to be on the agenda when premiers meet with the prime minister later this week.
 
 
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have made the request in an open letter to Justin Trudeau.
 
 
They say the current agenda does not include any discussion of a crisis facing the energy industry.
 
 
Alberta's oil is currently fetching bargain basement prices thanks to a growing glut and lack of pipeline capacity to get oil to market.
 
 
The premiers say the problem is costing Canada $80 million a day and the meeting agenda should reflect that.
 
 
The premiers are scheduled to meet with Trudeau in Montreal on Friday.
 
 
"During your recent visit to Calgary, you called the economic impact of the oil price differential a 'crisis.' We agree," Notley and Moe wrote in a letter released Tuesday.
 
 
"A crisis of this magnitude must be reflected in any discussion on 'Economic Competitiveness.' We trust that the agenda for our upcoming First Ministers’ Meeting can be revised to better reflect the need for a substantive discussion on issues of critical importance to the Canadian economy."
 
 
While the rest of the world sells its oil at about $50 per barrel, Notley has said Alberta fetches only $10.
 
 
She has ordered a mandatory cut to oil production which amounts to 8.7 per cent of output to reduce the glut of oil forcing the steep discounts. The cuts are scheduled to end on Dec. 31, 2019.
 
 
Alberta is also planning on buying as many as 80 locomotives and 7,000 rail tankers — expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars — to move the province's excess oil to markets and address the pipeline bottleneck.
 
 
The Trans Mountain expansion project, which would triple capacity to the B.C. coast, is now in legal limbo despite being approved two years ago as Ottawa revisits the impacts on First Nations and B.C.'s marine environment.

MORE National ARTICLES

Latest Rain Storm Swells B.C.'s South Coast Rivers, Dumps Heavy Rain

Rainfall warnings remain posted for the east coast of Vancouver and the inner south coast all the way east to the Fraser Canyon, but wind warnings were dropped Monday night.

Latest Rain Storm Swells B.C.'s South Coast Rivers, Dumps Heavy Rain

Many Unanswered Questions About MP Raj Grewal, Justin Trudeau Says

As the political storm around Raj Grewal intensifies, Justin Trudeau says there are many lingering questions about the Liberal MP.

Many Unanswered Questions About MP Raj Grewal, Justin Trudeau Says

Surrey Mayor Doug Mccallum 'Dismayed' By $514 Million City Debt

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum says he is “deeply dismayed” by the state of the finances in the city and has instructed staff to launch a “pay-as-you-go” system to cut the city’s debt.

Surrey Mayor Doug Mccallum 'Dismayed' By $514 Million City Debt

Kartarpur Corridor: See All That Happened During The Day

While Imran Khan said he wants a strong relationship with India, Sidhu said that violence must be stopped and peace should be restored between the two nations.

Kartarpur Corridor: See All That Happened During The Day

Raj Sangha's Killing Was Targeted But He Had No Gang Ties: IHIT

A 41-year-old man shot to death in Surrey Monday has been identified by friends as Ranjeev Sangha aka Raj Sangha, a much-loved member of the community and a Bhangra dance promoter.

Raj Sangha's Killing Was Targeted But He Had No Gang Ties: IHIT

DARPAN 10 with Mayor George V. Harvie, City of Delta

One of the greatest challenges in our community is ensuring that residents across South and North Delta feel like they are being treated fairly.

DARPAN 10 with Mayor George V. Harvie, City of Delta