EDMONTON - A group representing residential power consumers wants a seat at any discussions involving alleged illegal behaviour by one of Alberta's main power providers and is asking the regulator to release all information involving ATCO's actions. Jim Wachowich, lawyer for the Consumers' Coalition of Alberta, said ATCO is trying to "deflect attention" by keeping the matter out of the public. "This is a watershed event," said Wachowich. ATCO said it has already disclosed much [Read more]

CALGARY - Alberta's oilsands are operating with critical staff only as the highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps the country. It's unclear how many oilsands workers are currently sick with COVID-19. Oil Sands Community Alliance executive director Perry Berkenpas declined to give a number, though he says case counts aren't any worse than previous waves. Alberta's oilsands camps were the source of some of the country's largest outbreaks in the early days of the pandemic and again in [Read more]

CALGARY - A major Canadian electricity producer is successfully off coal power in this country, nine years ahead of a government deadline. Calgary-based Trans-Alta Corp. announced Wednesday it has finished its planned transition from coal to natural gas in its Canadian power generation. The company said the recently completed conversion of the Keephills Unit 3 power plant west of Edmonton was the last of three coal-to-gas conversions at its Alberta thermal power generation [Read more]

The RCMP say they are investigating allegations that protesters threatened security officials, set off flares and damaged vehicles at a drill site for the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northern British Columbia. The Mounties say in a statement released Monday that officers were called to the site along a forest service road near Houston on Sunday. They say anyone blocking worker access to the area is in breach of a court-ordered injunction. Opposition to the pipeline project among [Read more]