Land Management & Stewardship

Alberta government announces new restrictions on renewable energy development (Updated)

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Latest Updates | March 5, 2024 Updates

On February 28, 2024, following a 7-month "pause" on the approval of new renewable energy projects in the province, the Government of Alberta (GoA) announced their plans for future renewables development, and issued a letter to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) advising them of the policy, legislative and regulatory changes that they intend to advance regarding the development of renewable energy projects. What follows is a compilation of news coverage, opinion and analysis, and responses to the government's announcement from AEN members, and other environmental advocacy organizations.

Latest Updates

On March 15, 2024, the Government of Alberta sent a draft map to industry members, providing additional clarity on the areas where renewable energy development will be restricted. The map was less restrictive than some had feared, but questions remain.

Earlier, the Alberta Utilities Commission released the first of two reports resulting from its inquiry into the renewable energy industry in Alberta. The report concluded that compared to other forms of industrial development, renewables power projects pose little threat of agricultural land loss, and have "well-understood and relatively contained reclamation risks."

Have your say on the future of renewable energy development in Alberta

Initiative: 
Inquiry into the ongoing economic, orderly and efficient development of electricity generation in Alberta
Deadline: 
22 Nov 2023

On August 3, 2023, the Government of Alberta directed the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to halt approvals of new renewable energy projects, and to hold an inquiry in order to make recommendations on new regulations for renewables development. The AUC launched their inquiry on September 11, 2023.

Submit your comments to AUC online

Make your voice heard by submitting your feedback to the AUC through their online comment matrix or by providing a written submission through the AUC's eFiling System (Proceeding 28501). Deadline for comments is November 22, 2023. Read More

Forest Management in Alberta: Sustainable or Suspect?

On Saturday, July 17, the Government of Alberta announced a new Forest Management Agreement (FMA) with Crowsnest Forest Products Ltd. (affiliated with Spray Lakes Sawmills) in the forest management unit C5 west of Lethbridge. This agreement leads Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) to continue to question Alberta Forestry’s commitment to sustainability given the ongoing timber-centric management of forests. Read More

The Coal Consultation Update: Some Good News… But the Cart is Still Before the Horse

Energy Minister Sonya Savage delivered some good news in her April 23, 2021 coal consultation update: all coal exploration projects in Category 2 lands in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes must halt immediately. AWA welcomes the Minister’s decision to eliminate the immediate threat to landscapes and wildlife that could have resulted from the activities of Cabin Ridge and Valory Resources on Category 2 lands. Read More

Camping Fees: Breaking A UCP Election Promise

The Government of Alberta has introduced Bill 64, the Public Lands Amendment Act. This Act proposes a new Public Lands Camping Pass. AWA believes this initiative unjustifiably targets low impact users of Alberta’s backcountry and will reduce accessibility to public lands for lower income Albertans.

The UCP election platform promised to: “Apply a mandatory $30 trail permit fee to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) and camping trailers to pay for restoring and creating OHV trails and preventing damage in Alberta’s great outdoors, and to hire additional enforcement officers.” Read More

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