Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, left, at COP28. He was handed an “emissions cap.” That’s definitely what the government of Saskatchewan thinks he handed this province. Canadian Press
On Dec. 4, the federal government released draft regulations that would force a 75 per cent reduction in methane emissions on Saskatchewan’s oil and gas sector. The Government of Saskatchewan responded by saying in a press release, “This amounts to a production cap by default and is another instance of federal overreach and changing goal posts. It also violates the current equivalency agreement, which Saskatchewan signed with the federal government in 2020.”
The announcement came from federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault at COP28 in Dubai. Premier Scott Moe is also in Dubai, at the same event, along with over 50 Saskatchewan-based parties, to ensure Saskatchewan’s voice is heard. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is also present.
Cutting methane is one of the most cost-effective & impactful actions to tackle the climate crisis.
We announced strengthened methane regulations from the oil & gas sector to reach 75% less methane emissions by 2030, aligned with the U.S.https://t.co/FRw7N8oD9u#COP28 pic.twitter.com/5Zw7dyHsHz
— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) December 4, 2023
Between 2019 and 2022, the Government of Saskatchewan noted this province achieved a more than 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases, including methane, from upstream oil facilities under its Methane Action Plan (MAP). This plan, which was previously accepted by the federal government in 2020, aims to reduce methane emissions by 40 to 45 per cent from 2015 levels by 2025.
“These continually changing rules lead to investor uncertainty and allow countries with far less stable regulatory regimes to dominate the energy space,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “This latest unilateral federal action on methane targets specific provincial industries and infringes on our exclusive provincial jurisdiction over natural resources. In response, we will consider all possible options, including a referral to the Saskatchewan First Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal.”
For years, Eyre has been pointing out how the federal government keeps “changing the goalposts,” both in her current portfolio, and in her previous one as Minister of Energy and Resources for four years.
- 0072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 20240072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 2024
- 0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets
- 0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages
- 0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register
- 0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth
- 0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan
- 0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds
- 0065 Anova Resources field operator Oxbow0065 Anova Resources field operator Oxbow
- 0064 Estevan OTS0064 Estevan OTS
- 0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
- 0062 TED_EPAC_Technology_300062 TED_EPAC_Technology_30
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0060 Arizona Lithium Lease building0060 Arizona Lithium Lease building
- 0059 Southeast College Heavy Equipment Operator0059 Southeast College Heavy Equipment Operator
- 0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
- 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
- 0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click Before You Dig large text0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click Before You Dig large text
- 0052 Predator Inspections0052 Predator Inspections
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
- 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0015 Latus Viro0015 Latus Viro
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0011
- 0006 JK Junior
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001
“This change will result in lower production, reduced provincial revenues, and a lower standard of living for all people in Saskatchewan,” Energy and Resources Minister Jim Reiter said. “This is another example of federal overreach into areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction.”
This latest federal proposal comes amid growing momentum in favour of provincial rights, including the Supreme Court’s recent decision on the federal Impact Assessment Act (Bill C-69) and the Federal Court’s recent decision on plastics, the provincial government said, pointing out, “In addition, in the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, 2021 SCC 11 case, at paragraph 175, Chief Justice Wagner clearly stated that Parliament does not have the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions generally or emissions from specific sectors.”
“As confirmed in The Saskatchewan First Act, which came into force on September 15, 2023, Saskatchewan has exclusive legislative jurisdiction, under Section 92A of the Constitution Act, 1867, over the exploration of non-renewable natural resources, which includes the exclusive authority to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector.”
In a paper published in 2018, Dr. Joule Bergerson of the University of Calgary reported that if other oil and gas producing nations regulated their energy sectors like Saskatchewan, particularly around methane, global, energy-produced greenhouse gas emissions would fall by 25 per cent, the release said. This quote has been referenced frequently by Premier Scott Moe, Minister Eyre and Reiter ever since it was first published.
- 0072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 20240072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 2024
- 0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets
- 0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages
- 0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register
- 0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth
- 0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan
- 0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds
- 0065 Anova Resources field operator Oxbow0065 Anova Resources field operator Oxbow
- 0064 Estevan OTS0064 Estevan OTS
- 0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
- 0062 TED_EPAC_Technology_300062 TED_EPAC_Technology_30
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0060 Arizona Lithium Lease building0060 Arizona Lithium Lease building
- 0059 Southeast College Heavy Equipment Operator0059 Southeast College Heavy Equipment Operator
- 0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
- 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
- 0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click Before You Dig large text0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click Before You Dig large text
- 0052 Predator Inspections0052 Predator Inspections
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
- 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0015 Latus Viro0015 Latus Viro
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0011
- 0006 JK Junior
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001