Ottawa doles out $9.7 million to support Alberta jobs, hydrogen industry | 24CA News

The federal authorities delivered practically $10 million Tuesday to help Alberta’s rising hydrogen business because the province continues to accuse Ottawa of eager to shut down jobs in its power sector.

The federal cash is predicted to help 1,600 jobs by bettering entry to hydrogen fuels, supporting product testing, attracting funding and offering extra coaching for Alberta staff.

“We know that this is a growing area of the Alberta economy,” mentioned Dan Vandal, minister in command of Prairies Economic Development Canada, which delivered the funding.

“Alberta will always be an energy powerhouse and we’re doing our best to make sure that the new technologies that are greener will help maintain and sustain good quality jobs.”

The announcement got here as Alberta’s United Conservative Party authorities criticized the federal Liberals for eager to section out oilpatch jobs with out plans to interchange them.

“It should concern Albertans, and frankly all Canadians, that (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s) ‘Just Transition’ plan will eliminate 2.7 million jobs — according to a Liberal memo,” Premier Danielle Smith wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

“I’m not sure what to make of that,” mentioned Vandal.

“Our aim is to create good sustainable jobs for Albertans. Nobody is looking to do anything but that.”

Federal Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, an Edmonton MP who was on the announcement, mentioned Canada might see as much as $50 billion invested in hydrogen sooner or later, with the majority of that going to Alberta.

“Everything we’re doing is about adding jobs,” he mentioned. “To suggest that we would target a sector, is not true.”

The determine Smith quoted is from a ministerial briefing word. It is the sum complete of all jobs in all sectors anticipated to be affected as a low-carbon financial system takes form.

Smith has beforehand mentioned what’s now being known as a “sustainable jobs” plan would value greater than 180,000 Albertans their jobs.

That’s greater than the province’s whole oil and gasoline workforce.

The federal announcement, together with $3 million from the province, might be used to advertise Edmonton as a hydrogen hub and draw overseas funding. The cash is to additionally create a database of companies prepared to maneuver into the hydrogen provide chain.

It may even make hydrogen gasoline for heavy automobiles extra obtainable and enhance testing for its infrastructure.

The 1,600 jobs the cash is to help might be largely in Edmonton, the location of the province’s hydrogen centre of excellence and of greater than two dozen hydrogen and hydrogen-related initiatives in growth.

Edmonton Global, one of many businesses receiving Tuesday’s funding, says it has supported 28 ultimate funding selections into the Edmonton area representing greater than $2.4 billion in funding and the creation of greater than 3,500 jobs since 2018.

In a launch, Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally mentioned: “As the largest hydrogen producer in Canada, we are ready to do our part to help meet demand within Canada and around the world.”

Alberta Environment Minister Sonya Savage appeared on a CBC call-in present Tuesday to speak concerning the coming adjustments dealing with the province’s financial system. She instructed the federal-provincial battle shouldn’t be as intense as social media would possibly recommend.

“Behind the scenes, we’re actually working pretty well on some areas like hydrogen and (carbon capture, utilization and storage),” she mentioned.

Savage mentioned the provincial authorities acknowledges the business is altering and is making an attempt to adapt in its personal approach.

“We’re not doing it as part of a ‘Just Transition’ to start shutting down the oil and gas sector. The Liberals seem to be sending mixed messages out.”

While Savage mentioned Ottawa isn’t speaking to the province about financial transition, Boissonnault mentioned Alberta nonetheless hasn’t come to the desk to speak about how one can help carbon sequestration.

“We put billions of dollars on the table. We’re still waiting to hear what the province is going to do.”

Boissonnault famous that Alberta’s United Conservatives are months away from a provincial election.

“I grew up watching this as a kid,” he mentioned.

“It’s a familiar playbook, pre-election, to take on the feds, to try and pick a fight to stoke up support prior to the election.”

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