January 25, 2012
CALGARY— The Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, visitedCalgary today to discuss the government’s priorities forCanada’s energy future. The Minister spoke at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce about the importance of diversifyingCanada’s energy markets.
“Canada’s oil reserves are the most strategic of our energy assets, in particular the oil sands, which represent 170 of our 174 billion barrel proven reserves,” said Minister Oliver. “Diversifying our markets and developing the necessary infrastructure to transport our resources is key to helping ensure the financial security of Canadians and their families for decades to come.”
The Minister also spoke aboutCanada’s regulatory system and acknowledged the importance of developing energy resources in as timely a manner as possible as well as responsibly and sustainably.
“Providing a regulatory regime that is both economically efficient and environmentally effective is a basic part of offering a stable, predictable climate for investment,” said Minister Oliver. “This is why regulatory improvement has been a priority for our government from the beginning. Our goal is simple: one project, one review, in a clearly defined time period.”
Minister Oliver also met with representatives from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association to discuss how these issues affectCanada’s oil and gas industry.
Earlier in the day, Minister Oliver joined Vicky Sharpe, President and CEO, Sustainable Development TechnologyCanada, to announce an investment of $22 million through the SDTech Fund to help eight new clean technology projects from across the country reach commercialization.
“The projects announced today demonstrate our leadership in driving clean technology innovation to help create viable new industries forCanada’s economy,” noted Minister Oliver.
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