After a private meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is more confident that an energy memorandum of understanding (MOU) will soon be finalized.
Smith and Carney met in Ottawa on Friday morning ahead of the premier’s keynote address to the 2026 Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference.
Going into that meeting, Smith told the prime minister that Canadians in her province, and industry stakeholders, were “getting a bit impatient” when it comes to plans to get major projects moving.
“If we’re going to move forward with that MOU, I hope it happens in the next number of days,” she said during the public portion of the leaders’ meeting.
Hours after that conversation, Smith sounded far more optimistic about the prospect of the MOU being signed before Alberta makes a submission to the Major Project’s Office in June, even changing her language to say “when the deal gets signed.”
“There’s of course still some work that needs to be done to get to the finish line and to ensure the interests of Albertans and our industries are properly protected, but I am now much more confident that this will be completed,” she told reporters during a press conference at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference.
“I hope to have something to announce for you, very, very soon.”
Last November, Alberta and the federal government signed a major energy agreement laying out the conditions for a new West Coast oil pipeline. Since then, the leaders have engaged in talks that both have described as constructive. However, Alberta and the federal government have blown past their initial negotiation deadlines of April 1 to fulfill certain elements of the MOU.
Announcements have already been made on some elements, including an agreement to streamline environmental impact assessments and a commitment by Alberta to cut methane emissions by 75 per cent from 2014 levels by 2035.
Among the reported sticking points has been coming to an agreement around Alberta signing on to an industrial carbon pricing agreement that would “ramp up to a minimum effective credit price of $130 per tonne.”
On Friday, Smith cited that as a topic at the heart of the discussion with the prime minister.
“We had differences of opinion about how quickly we could move and the impact that it would have on the energy sector,” she told reporters. “We found that we got closer today to a point where we feel, both feel I think, pretty confident that we’ll be able to get to a deal.”
She would not say how long she thinks it will take Alberta to reach that effective minimum price. A tonne of industrial carbon in Alberta currently costs $95.
“When the deal gets signed and we’re able to reveal it, we will give full details on that,” she said.
‘This framework is pretty essential’
Discussions are also ongoing around a carbon capture project in the oil sands called The Pathways Project. Smith said conversations with the pathways group will continue after a few final details are hammered out on the MOU.
“The discussions with the pathways group will continue after that, and I hope they don’t take too long, because pathways also needs to have the certainty so that they can go to their boards of directors and start planning for how we’re going to increase production,” she said. “So I would say that this framework is pretty essential before we begin that conversation.”
Smith signalling impatience also comes on the heels of news that Carney’s government intends to table legislation that would expedite the regulatory approval process for all big energy and infrastructure projects, beyond those designated projects in the national interest.
On Friday afternoon the Liberals announced consultations on proposed changes to environmental laws that would help see the prime minister uphold his commitment to reduce the decision process for these major development proposals.
Led by Dominic LeBlanc in his capacity as internal trade and one Canadian economy minister and Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon the government plans to “engage with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and the Canadian public on potential changes that would ensure federal reviews and decision-making timelines take no longer than one-year, once all information from the project proponent has been received.”
“To transform our economy and build major projects faster in Canada, investors and project proponents need predictability and efficiency,” LeBlanc said in a statement. “Our government is engaging directly with Canadians to improve our regulatory system and grow our economy. The proposed regulatory and legislative reforms are part of our ambitious plan to build a stronger Canada.”
Earlier this week, Alberta passed provincial legislation – the “Expedited 120-Day Approvals Act” – which Alberta Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean “can put regulators on a clock” to approve major projects, while maintaining Indigenous consultations and environmental protections.
“This act will provide regulatory certainty for investors and ensure major projects in Alberta get built,” Jean told CTV News in a statement Thursday. “We are encouraged to hear that Ottawa may be considering following Alberta’s lead to prioritize the approval process of key energy projects.”
With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha, Spencer Van Dyk, and Vassy Kapelos
