The fallout from Ottawa’s suspension of clean electricity regulations has rippled through Calgary’s business community this week, leaving energy sector players and municipal leaders with more questions than answers about Alberta’s energy future.
I’ve spent the last three days speaking with local stakeholders after Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced the federal government would pause implementation of the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) following intense pushback from several provinces, including our own.
“This isn’t just about political wrangling—this affects real investment decisions happening right now in downtown Calgary offices,” said Meredith Reynolds, energy transition advisor at Calgary Economic Development. “Companies need regulatory certainty when making multi-billion dollar infrastructure commitments.”
The suspended regulations aimed to create a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, but Alberta officials, including Premier Danielle Smith, had consistently maintained this timeline was unrealistic given our province’s resource-based economy and current energy infrastructure.
Walking through the Plus-15 yesterday, I overheard numerous conversations about what this means for Calgary’s emerging clean tech sector. The sentiment was mixed at best.
“We’ve hired 27 people in the last eight months based partly on the expectation these regulations would drive demand for our services,” shared Thomas Whitecloud, CEO of SunRise Energy Solutions, a Calgary-based solar installation company. “Now we’re in wait-and-see mode.”
Provincial Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz called the federal suspension “a step in the right direction” but criticized the underlying approach as fundamentally flawed. In her view, any workable transition must recognize Alberta’s unique energy landscape.
The numbers tell a compelling story about why this matters so much here. Alberta currently generates about 86% of its electricity from natural gas, according to the Alberta Electric System Operator. Transitioning this infrastructure represents both a massive challenge and potential economic opportunity.
City of Calgary sustainability officials expressed concern about how the regulatory uncertainty might affect municipal climate targets. Calgary’s Climate Strategy aims for net-zero emissions by 2050, with electricity generation playing a crucial role.
“We’re caught between provincial and federal priorities,” explained Councillor Kourtney Penner during yesterday’s committee meeting. “This regulatory ping-pong makes local planning incredibly difficult.”
For everyday Calgarians, the immediate impact remains unclear. Energy economist Blake Williams from Mount Royal University suggests consumers shouldn’t expect immediate price changes, but long-term planning for our electricity system now faces additional uncertainty.
“Alberta ratepayers should watch this situation carefully,” Williams told me. “How we resolve these regulatory questions will ultimately affect household bills and system reliability.”
The Edmonton perspective adds another layer to this story. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi expressed disappointment with the federal suspension, noting that regulatory certainty is crucial for attracting investment in clean energy projects.
I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between Calgary and Edmonton in stakeholder reactions—another reminder of the complex regional dynamics within our own province.
Meanwhile, at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, researchers are scrambling to update economic models that had incorporated the now-suspended regulations.
“We’ve been working with industry partners on transition scenarios that now need significant revision,” said Dr. Jennifer Koshan. “This isn’t just about compliance costs—it’s about strategic positioning in a changing global marketplace.”
What’s particularly striking about this situation is how it reveals the deep interconnection between federal policy, provincial autonomy, municipal planning, and private sector investment. This isn’t simply another chapter in federal-provincial tensions—it’s about Alberta’s economic future.
The Alberta Utilities Commission declined to comment specifically on the suspension but confirmed they continue monitoring developments closely. Several pending electricity generation projects now face additional regulatory questions.
Having covered Calgary’s energy sector for nearly a decade, I’ve rarely seen this level of policy uncertainty coincide with such significant market transformation pressure. The global shift toward cleaner energy continues regardless of domestic regulatory approaches.
For Calgary and Edmonton residents wondering what comes next, the answer isn’t straightforward. Provincial officials indicate they’ll continue pursuing their made-in-Alberta approach to electricity system planning while maintaining communication with federal counterparts.
In the meantime, Calgary’s downtown continues its gradual transformation from exclusively oil and gas headquarters to a more diverse energy hub. How quickly that evolution happens—and what it ultimately looks like—may depend significantly on how this regulatory situation resolves in the coming months.
