The Alberta Government says they will continue to meet with their federal counterparts for emissions and energy discussions despite their differences.

On Tuesday, September 12, the Federal and Provincial governments held the first meeting of their Alberta-Ottawa working group.

The task force is seeking to align the efforts of the two governments on emissions reduction and energy development.

“The working group agreed to initially focus discussions on the recently released federal electricity regulations as its first priority,” says Premier Danielle Smith.

During the discussion, Alberta affirmed their commitment to securing safe, affordable, and reliable electricity for Albertans while forging a path to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

The federal government remains steadfast in reaching that goal by 2035, something the province says is unrealistic.

“The Alberta delegation also expressed its position that introduction by the federal government of the final federal electricity regulations, an oil and gas emissions cap or a methane cap during the course of the working group’s negotiations would be unacceptable to Alberta and risk the viability of the working group’s continued discussions,” added Premier Smith.

One key accomplishment of the working group was an agreement on timelines of meetings, which will occur every two to three weeks, and to report on agreed outcomes as they arise