Alberta, Ontario premiers announce MOU on cleantech initiatives

The Premiers of Alberta and Ontario announced on Thursday a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate the development of cleantech initiatives.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne met in Edmonton on Thursday to discuss new opportunities to partner on energy and climate change initiatives, the two governments said in a joint press release. The Premiers then announced a new MOU between Alberta’s Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).

The release said that the MOU commits CCEMC and OCE to examining opportunities including, but not limited to:

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the production, transportation and use of natural resources in Alberta and Ontario;
• accelerating the development of renewable energy and energy storage; and
• fostering new and innovative uses of carbon dioxide.

This partnership will combine the strengths of CCEMC and OCE to help Alberta and Ontario reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift to a lower-carbon economy by identifying technology development and demonstration projects, the release said. The cleantech initiatives that result from the MOU will benefit the environment, nurture and grow the sector, and enhance both provinces’ response to climate change.

The cleantech MOU builds on the $8-million Alberta-Ontario Innovation Program, which is jointly managed by Alberta Innovates–Technology Futures and the OCE, and which brings industry leaders and academia from Ontario and Alberta together to collaborate on solutions to key industry challenges, including those related to advanced manufacturing, energy, environment, and information and communications technology.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a challenge shared by all provinces and, by working together, we can advance clean technology, diversify our respective economies and create good jobs,” Notley said in the release.

“Ontario is a North American leader in the creation, use and manufacturing of cleantech solutions,” added Wynne. “This MOU opens the door to joint projects and innovative discoveries that will help Ontario and Alberta reduce their carbon footprints and achieve their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.”

Ontario and Alberta signed a declaration on clean growth and climate change at Canada’s First Ministers meeting in March.