Backgrounder: Canada invests in clean energy in Alberta and Saskatchewan

On July 4, 2026, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced more than $26 million in funding for 17 projects across Alberta and Saskatchewan that will accelerate the deployment of clean technology; modernize energy systems and infrastructure; reduce emissions; and build the regulatory, industrial and workforce capacity needed for Canada’s long-term economic growth and energy security.

Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program

The Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program supports grid modernization, energy storage and renewable energy technologies to grow Canada’s electricity grid in a sustainable, affordable and reliable manner.

Project name: Western Transmission Catalysts: Practical Pathways to Inter-provincial Transmission Expansion in Western Canada
Recipient: University of Calgary
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Funding amount: $4,218,000
Description: The project focuses on research, engagement and capacity-building activities for inter-provincial transmission development in Western Canada that delivers on four critical priorities: 1) economy and affordability; 2) Indigenous partnership; 3) clean energy; and 4) national resilience. It will bring together academic experts, civil society, government officials, system operators, private sector participants and Indigenous Peoples to address implementation challenges to inter-provincial transmission development.

Project name: SunRISE Horizon
Recipient: Clean Communities Corp.
Location: Cardston, Alberta
Funding amount: $3,900,000
Description: The project will deploy and integrate a 5-MWh / 2.5-MW battery energy storage system within the existing 4-MW SunRISE Solar Facility.

Project name: Pe-na-koyim Wind Power Project – Capacity Building Initiatives
Recipient: Kainai Pe-na-koyim Renewable Energy Centre GP Corp.
Location: Blood Tribe Reserve #148 near Lethbridge, Alberta
Funding amount: $2,000,000
Description: The project supports pre-development and workforce-related activities for a proposed 300 MW wind energy farm project. Activities include an interconnection assessment, permitting and regulatory approval process, geotechnical study and workforce training.

Project name: Kapisimotet Solar Capacity Project
Recipient: Neyaskweyahk Group of Companies Inc.
Location: Ermineskin Cree Nation, Alberta
Funding amount: $1,479,750
Description: The project will achieve the completion of all feasibility activities required to advance Kâpîtisimotêt Solar, a 112-MW solar power plant with a 30.2-MW battery energy storage system that will be connected directly to the high-voltage electricity transmission system.

Project name: Samson’s Renewable Energy Project
Recipient: Samson Cree Nation
Location: Maskwacis, Alberta
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) funding: $781,740
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) funding: $208,830
Description: The project will support pre-development activities for a utility-scale, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system located approximately 100 km south of Edmonton, Alberta, that will be Indigenous-led and majority-owned by Samson Cree Nation.

Project name: Renewable Energy and Energy Storage for Saddle Lake Cree Nation
Recipient: Saddle Lake Cree Nation
Location: Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Alberta
NRCan funding: $684,750
ISC funding: $228,250
Description: The project supports pre-development and workforce-related activities that enable the development of a 5-MW solar photovoltaic and energy storage project in the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Activities include a pre-feasibility study, site selection process, feasibility study, environmental studies, interconnection assessment and workforce training.

Project name: Empowering Tomorrow: Pioneering Solar Feasibility Study for Informed Sustainable Energy Choices
Recipient: Bigstone Cree Nation
Location: Bigstone Cree Nation, Alberta
NRCan funding: $637,950
ISC funding: $212,650
Description: The project will focus on developing renewable energy projects, including pre-feasibility studies, engagement activities, completion of energy modeling, site selection processes, interconnection studies with local utility provider ATCO and workforce training.

Project name: Pecmu Makoce (Healing the Earth): Clean Energy Training and Supports Program
Recipient: Newo Global Energy
Location: Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Montana First Nation and Edmonton, Alberta
Funding amount: $461,756
Description: The project created training programs to facilitate employment on energy and solar–retrofit projects throughout the Alberta region of Treaty Six.

Project name: Building Capacity for Energy Leadership at Samson Cree Nation
Recipient: Samson Cree Nation
Location: Maskwacis, Alberta
Funding amount: $353,863
Description: The project will complete a Community Energy Planning process to identify renewable energy priorities, create local employment and build community capacity through training and workshops.

Project name: Enabling Community Renewable Energy Development Through Aggregation
Recipient: Alberta Municipalities
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Funding amount: $251,810
Description: The project supported research into dismantling barriers that currently impede community renewable energy in Alberta and disseminated research findings to relevant stakeholders.

Energy Innovation Program

The Energy Innovation Program advances clean energy technologies that will help Canada maintain a competitive, reliable and affordable energy system while transitioning to a low-carbon economy. This includes technologies for methane measurement, mitigation, reporting, and verification and technologies that lower costs and reduce the energy needed to convert carbon dioxide into useful products while helping store CO₂ safely for the long term at a large scale.

Project name: Oxiperator: Reducing Methane Emissions From Lean-Burn Engines
Recipient: Prabhu Energy Alberta Ltd.
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Funding amount: $3,000,000
Description: The project will develop an exhaust treatment device that  eliminates methane and volatile organic compounds emissions from stationary combustion engines used in the upstream oil and gas sector.

Project name:  Upcycling Waste CO₂ Into Sustainable Cement Alternatives
Recipient: Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc.
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Funding amount: $550,000
Description: This project will advance carbon mineralization technologies to produce low-emissions alternatives to traditional cement, helping reduce emissions in the construction sector.

Clean Fuels Fund

The Clean Fuels Fund supports projects that help grow Canada’s clean fuels industry by reducing the financial risk of building or expanding production facilities, including converting existing facilities.

Project name: Project Perimeter and Project Boundary
Recipient: Renew Farms Inc.
Location: Medicine Hat, Alberta and Lanigan, Saskatchewan
Funding amount: $5,985,000
Description: The proponent will complete front-end engineering design (FEED) studies to assess the construction of waste biomass-to-renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities with carbon capture in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and Lanigan, Saskatchewan.

Codes Acceleration Fund

The Codes Acceleration Fund supports faster adoption of stronger building energy codes across Canada to help reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and support economic growth.

Recipient: Frog Lake First Nations #121 & #122
Location: Alberta
Funding amount: $1,321,997
Description: This project will accelerate adoption of Tier 2 energy efficiency standards for community housing. Frog Lake First Nations will also assess the feasibility of adopting Tier 3 or above by creating tools to increase code compliance, streamlining permitting and inspections and build capacity by training community staff on how to comply with and enforce codes.

Recipient: Elizabeth Métis Settlement
Location: Alberta
Funding amount: $671,989
Description: The project will enhance code compliance across new construction and targeted energy retrofits with a particular focus on achieving net-zero emissions. It will do so by aligning with the 2020 editions of the National Building Code (NBC) and the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB) as well as positioning Elizabeth Métis Settlement to comply with the updated 2025 codes.

Recipient: SSRIA (Smart Sustainable Resilient Infrastructure Association)
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Funding amount: $335,000
Description: The proponent will develop a guide outlining pathways and requirements for alternate solutions, compliance strategies and best practices for achieving higher-tier energy code requirements and a resource library featuring case studies of solutions applied across Canada.