Policies and regulations

The Government of Alberta is active in managing our energy future while safeguarding the environment for future generations. The path to sustainable prosperity allows the government to demonstrate leadership on the world stage.

Value Add Strategy

Alberta is focused on developing an integrated energy strategy that looks beyond extraction and maximizing the potential of our resources to enhance the growth of Alberta's refining and petrochemical industries. This strategy is the value add strategy.

  • Hydrocarbon Upgrading Task Force (HUTF): Formed in 2004 by the Government of Alberta and industry to develop opportunities for world-scale integrated refining and petrochemical plant clusters to convert oil sands bitumen into finished products for world markets. The HUTF commissions studies to develop business cases for value-added projects as well as advise government on measures to facilitate development.  

  • Hydrocarbon Upgrading Demonstration Program (HUDP): The HUDP supports selected joint Alberta government-industry initiatives to develop and demonstrate advanced technologies for upgrading Alberta's coal, bitumen and heavy oil resources to high value products. The first phase of the HUDP, completed in mid-2006, identified an initial set of technologies with the best potential for further development and demonstration. The second phase of the plan is to develop and demonstrate next generation “clean” upgrading technologies as they apply to Alberta hydrocarbons such as oil sands, coal, and petroleum coke.

  • Alberta's Industrial Heartland is a base of hydrocarbon upgrading and integration. It is home to one of Canada's largest concentrations of petroleum, refining, petrochemical, and chemical processors. Search the Industrial Heartland website for the latest news on hydrocarbon upgrading activities taking place in central Alberta.

Alberta Energy

  • Provincial Energy Strategy: Alberta’s Provincial Energy Strategy is a long-term action plan for Alberta to achieve clean energy production, wise energy use, and sustained economic prosperity. The strategy addresses present issues and offers a roadmap to future energy development. The strategy recognizes that environmentally responsible and innovative hydrocarbon development remains the cornerstone of Alberta’s economy and North American energy supply. It also recognizes the importance of energy conservation, efficiency, and developing renewable energy sources as expanding pieces of the provincial energy portfolio.

  • Bitumen Royalty-In-Kind: As the resource owner, the Government of Alberta is entitled to take its royalty share of bitumen production in kind, as it does currently for conventional oil production. The Government’s bitumen royalty volumes will be a significant and growing source of reliable hydrocarbon feedstock into the future. The Government will enter intro agreements with companies for a portion of its bitumen royalty in-kind volumes to be commercially upgraded to higher value products in the province. 

  • Carbon Capture and Storage: In July 2008, the Government of Alberta announced a $2-billion fund to kick-start three steel-in-the-ground Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects. These projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to five million tonnes annually by 2015.

    Carbon Capture and Storage projects are being pursued around the world and the technology is fully supported by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Energy Agency and the International Panel on Climate Change.

  • Innovative Energy Technologies Program: Through the Alberta Department of Energy, the Innovative Technologies Royalty Program leverages industry funding to pilot and demonstrate new energy technologies in Alberta.

Alberta Environment

  • Alberta’s Oil Sands: Resourceful, Responsible: This booklet provides a snapshot of actions taken in Alberta to ensure the oil sands are developed in a responsible way. It provides the Government of Alberta's vision for environmental protection during oil sands development, as well as Alberta’s vision for developing one of the world’s largest deposits of oil.

Government of Alberta - Multi-departmental initiatives

  • Alberta Innovates: Energy and Environment Solutions (AIEES): AIEES is the lead agency for energy and environmental research in Alberta. Energy and Environment Solutions brings together decision makers from government, industry and research and technology organizations to implement strategies and innovations in order to preserve and enhance Alberta's economic, environmental and social well being.

  • Land-use Framework: The Land-use Framework was developed by the Government of Alberta in December of 2008 to improve land-use decision making in Alberta and support sustainable resource development in Alberta.

  • Responsible Actions: A Plan for Alberta’s Oil Sands: In February 2009, the Government of Alberta released its comprehensive 20-year strategic plan for Alberta’s oil sands that aims to reduce the environmental footprint, optimize economic growth, and increase the quality of life in Alberta’s oil sands regions.

  • Oil Sands Secretariat (OSS): The Oil Sands Sustainable Development Secretariat was created by the Government of Alberta in the summer of 2007 to address rapid growth issues in the oil sands regions of Alberta. The Secretariat collaborates with ministries, industry, communities and stakeholders to address the social, infrastructure, environmental and economic impacts of oil sands development. It acts as a main point of contact for inquiries from the public, industry and stakeholders on the government’s plan for managing growth in the oil sands.

  • Oil Sands Consultations Advisory Group: This Alberta Government initiative was formed in January 2006 to develop revised plans for consulting on the policy principles for Alberta's oil sands area in relation to oil sands development and environmental management. In July 2007, the committee completed its Multi-stakeholder Committee (MSC) Final Report and Aboriginal Consultation Final Report. The committee's recommendations also led to the foundation of the Oil Sands Sustainable Development Secretariat.

  • Premier's Council for Economic Strategy: On May 5, 2011, the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy released its report, Shaping Alberta's Future, outlining a broad direction on important themes for the future, including realizing the full potential of Alberta's energy resources in a responsible way.

Date Updated:
RDP-2043