— Oct 21, 2021

Canadian Climate Policy and its Implications for Electricity Grids is a new study that finds replacing coal-fired power in Canada with wind and solar (and building natural gas capacity as a backup source of power) would increase the costs of operating the electricity grid by between $16.8 billion and $33.7 billion a year, while reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 7.4 per cent. Crucially, the 7.4 per cent emissions reduction would fall short of the federal government’s target to be 40 per cent to 45 per cent below 2005 emissions levels by 2030.

The Investment Outlook for the Canadian and US Oil and Gas Sectors: Evidence from Financial Metrics

— Oct 13, 2021

The Investment Outlook for the Canadian and US Oil and Gas Sectors finds that Canada’s unfavourable business environment—which includes higher taxes, more regulation and lack of pipeline capacity—will likely continue to help divert oil and gas investments from Canada to the United States.

First Nations and the Petroleum Industry—from Conflict to Cooperation

— Jun 22, 2021

First Nations and the Petroleum Industry—from Conflict to Cooperation finds that, to increase Indigenous ownership in the oil industry, First Nations should focus on small and medium-sized projects rather than mega-projects that require massive assistance from government.

A New (Old) Fiscal Rule for Non-Renewable Resource Revenue in Alberta

— Jun 15, 2021

A New (Old) Fiscal Rule for Non-Renewable Resource Revenue in Alberta is a new study that examines how Alberta’s budget deficits and mounting debt are due in part to its treatment of non-renewable resource revenue in the budget. The study recommends reinstating fiscal rules that require a certain amount of resource revenues be saved in order to stabilize provincial finances.

Estimated Impacts of a $170 Carbon Tax in Canada

— Mar 16, 2021

Estimated Impacts of a $170 Carbon Tax in Canada finds that the federal government’s plan to impose a $170 per tonne carbon tax by 2030 will result in 184,377 fewer jobs nationwide and cause a 1.8 per cent drop in Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which in 2019 would represent a loss to the economy of about $38 billion.

Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2020

— Feb 23, 2021

According to our Annual Survey of Mining Companies, which ranks 77 jurisdictions around the world based on their geologic attractiveness and government policies, Saskatchewan remains Canada’s most attractive jurisdiction (and 3rd worldwide) for mining investment followed by Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey 2020

— Jan 14, 2021

The Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey finds that Oklahoma and Texas are considered far more attractive than Alberta for oil and gas investment. Specifically, investors pointed to the uncertainty concerning environmental regulations, the cost of regulatory compliance, and regulatory enforcement as major areas of concern in Canadian provinces compared to US states. The study also ranks 21 North American jurisdictions based on policies affecting oil and gas investment, and Saskatchewan (8^th) was the only Canadian province to make the top ten. Oklahoma ranked 1^st, Kansas ranked 2nd, and Texas ranked 3^rd, while Alberta ranked 12^th and British Columbia was 20^th out of 21.

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Recent Natural Resource Commentaries and Blog Posts

Rising oil prices won’t solve Canada’s oil and gas problems

Steven Globerman

Appeared in the National Post, October 21, 2021

Investors will invest in energy projects where expected risk-adjusted returns are highest.

Bad government policies create energy crisis

Robert P. Murphy

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, October 20, 2021

In Canada, gasoline prices have increased by 33 per cent.

Policymakers will ban fossil fuels at our peril

Pierre Desrochers, Joanna Szurmak

Quebec may soon ban all oil and natural gas development in the province.

Europe’s skyrocketing power prices underscore challenges with renewable sources

Jairo Yunis, Elmira Aliakbari

Europe’s energy crunch should serve as a cautionary tale for governments across North America with regard to the challenges of abruptly changing our energy mix by subsidizing renewable energy.

New federal government should pursue less-painful climate plan

Elmira Aliakbari, Jairo Yunis

The Trudeau government’s climate plan has design flaws that will unnecessarily hurt Canada's economy.

Muskrat Falls project illustrates problem with public ownership of large-scale projects

Jairo Yunis, Elmira Aliakbari

Appeared in National Newswatch, August 20, 2021

Government officials face very different incentives than people in the private sector.

Biden’s plea to OPEC+ undermines his own climate policies

Jairo Yunis, Elmira Aliakbari

The president revoked the permit for Keystone XL, which would have brought 830,000 barrels per day of Albertan oil to the United States.

Canadian policymakers should learn from ‘renewable’ experience in California and Texas

Jairo Yunis, Elmira Aliakbari

Since 2006, wind and solar generators in Texas have received about $19.4 billion in federal, state and local subsidies.

Death of Keystone increases risk to people and the environment

Kenneth P. Green

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, June 16, 2021

Oil moved by rail is 4.5 times more likely to experience some kind of accident in transit than oil moved by pipeline.

Trudeau government’s new climate target much more costly than Biden plan

Jairo Yunis, Elmira Aliakbari

Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, May 12, 2021

If Canada removed all fossil-fuel cars from the roads, emissions would only drop by 5 per cent.

Research Experts

Elmira Aliakbari

Director, Natural Resource Studies, Fraser Institute
Gerry Angevine

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Pierre Desrochers

Associate Professor of Geography, University of Toronto
Wilf Gobert

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Kenneth P. Green

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Lynne Kiesling

Co-Director of the Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics, University of Colorado-Denver
Ross McKitrick

Professor of Economics, University of Guelph
Robert P. Murphy

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Moin Yahya

Professor of Law, University of Alberta

Natural Resources

Canadian Climate Policy and Its Implications for Electricity Grids

The Investment Outlook for the Canadian and US Oil and Gas Sectors: Evidence from Financial Metrics

First Nations and the Petroleum Industry—from Conflict to Cooperation

A New (Old) Fiscal Rule for Non-Renewable Resource Revenue in Alberta

Estimated Impacts of a $170 Carbon Tax in Canada

Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2020

Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey 2020

Subscribe to the Fraser Institute

Research Experts

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Natural Resources

Canadian Climate Policy and Its Implications for Electricity Grids

The Investment Outlook for the Canadian and US Oil and Gas Sectors: Evidence from Financial Metrics

First Nations and the Petroleum Industry—from Conflict to Cooperation

A New (Old) Fiscal Rule for Non-Renewable Resource Revenue in Alberta

Estimated Impacts of a $170 Carbon Tax in Canada

Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2020

Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey 2020

Subscribe to the Fraser Institute

Research Experts