Alberta’s government is spending $55 million to support the development of innovative industrial technologies aimed at creating jobs, reducing costs, and lowering emissions.
As industries worldwide compete to implement new energy-efficient and low-emission technologies, Alberta is positioning itself as a global leader in the sector. The province is funding 15 projects through its TIER program, administered by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), to advance cutting-edge industrial solutions that could have national and international applications.
“When it comes to innovation, Alberta's track record is second to none,” said Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas.
“This funding will help empower our industry and businesses to develop the new technologies that are in demand around the world. This funding is a win-win: creating jobs, reducing emissions, and strengthening our economy for the benefit of all Albertans.”
The funding includes $46 million for 12 projects through ERA’s Industrial Transformation Challenge and an additional $8.7 million for three projects via the Partnership Intake Program. The supported projects span a range of industries, including energy, cement, forestry, dairy, water treatment, and plastics recycling.
Heather Stephens, chief operating officer of ERA, emphasized the significance of these investments. “By investing in these technologies today, we are helping to maintain Alberta as a global leader in industrial innovation and paving the way for a more sustainable and competitive future across our industries.”
Key funded projects include:
$10 million for Alberta Newsprint Company to enhance energy efficiency, lowering costs and improving competitiveness.
$8.4 million for Dairy Innovation West to develop energy-efficient transportation methods for milk products, boosting the province’s milk-processing capacity.
$7.45 million for the City of Calgary to install advanced thermal energy technology at the Fish Creek wastewater treatment plant.
$4 million for Lafarge Canada to explore lower-emission cement production using calcined clay.
$3.7 million for Flash Forest Inc. to refine AI-driven drone-based tree planting and reforestation techniques.
$2 million for Merlin Plastics to scale up operations diverting hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills.
$700,000 for TS-Nano Canada to develop more effective well-sealing technology, reducing methane emissions from oil and gas wells.
Industry leaders welcomed the money, emphasizing the benefits of advancing Alberta’s sustainability and innovation.
“With support from the Government of Alberta and Emissions Reduction Alberta, Alberta Newsprint Company will adopt state-of-the-art technologies that significantly reduce its carbon footprint, demonstrating Alberta’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing,” said Ron Stern, president and CEO of Alberta Newsprint Company.
Michael Thompson, general manager of Infrastructure Services for the City of Calgary, highlighted the importance of the funding.
“This support enables the City of Calgary to employ innovative low-carbon technology to heat the new infrastructure for the Fish Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade project. By using heat pumps to recover thermal energy from wastewater effluent as a heat source, the project significantly reduces the plant’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
The projects are expected to collectively reduce 119,000 tonnes of emissions per year, with a total reduction of 2.2 million tonnes by 2050. They are also projected to create nearly 1,600 jobs and contribute $237 million to Alberta’s GDP by 2027.
For more details on funded projects, visit Emissions Reduction Alberta.