EXCLUSIVE: Alberta's ‘energy war room’ drops 'Canadian' from name in sudden rebrand

CALGARY — Last week, the Alberta government quietly changed the name of the Canadian Energy Centre to the Alberta Energy Centre, unveiling a sudden rebrand, complete with a new logo and redesigned website for the organization once widely known as Alberta’s “energy war room.”“This week, the Canadian Energy Centre becomes the Alberta Energy Centre,” the organization said on its official X account.“Our new name better reflects who we are: Alberta’s voice on energy. Our mission remains the same: to tell the story of Alberta’s energy industry and how a thriving energy sector helps build a stronger Canada.”.The Centre added that it would continue covering energy developments across Canada such as investment, indigenous partnerships, emissions reduction, and market access.“Alberta’s energy story is deeply connected to Canada’s energy future,” it said.The rebrand is the latest change the organization has undergone since it was created by former premier Jason Kenney’s UCP government in 2019.Originally, it was created as a provincial corporation with a mandate to promote Canada’s oil and gas industry and respond to what the government viewed as misinformation about Alberta's energy sector.The decision to remove “Canadian” from the organization’s branding comes at a time when Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP government is being scrutinized over its relationship with Ottawa and the upcoming province-wide October 19 referendum, which includes a question on Alberta independence..Alberta’s energy war room logo fiasco close to winning a Teddy.When asked by the Western Standard what prompted the name change, who gave the final approval, and how much the total rebrand would cost, the Alberta government did not directly answer the questions.“Our new name better reflects who we are: Alberta’s voice on energy,” Yonathan Sumamo, assistant deputy minister of Ministry Communications Services with Communications and Public Engagement, said in an emailed statement.“The Alberta Energy Centre’s mission remains the same: to tell the story of Alberta’s energy industry and how a thriving energy sector helps build a stronger Canada.”Sumamo went on to cite statistics showing that Alberta was responsible for “84% of Canadian oil production and 60% of natural gas.”“The rebrand reflects the fact Alberta leads the nation in energy production,” he said.“The change to the Alberta Energy Centre makes it clear that this is an initiative of the provincial government and that we are taking the lead on telling the Canadian energy story.”The government also did not disclose how much the new branding, logo and website would cost.“The contract for the redesign and relaunch was awarded through a competitive procurement process. Costs will be reported through standard government disclosure processes,” Sumamo said.The Standard’s question about whether there had been any discussion within Premier Smith’s office about how dropping “Canadian” could be perceived amid the independence debate also went unanswered..The Centre has seen its share of controversy throughout its history.Shortly after its 2019 launch, social media users noticed similarities between its original logo and the trademarked logo of Massachusetts-based software company Progress Software, causing the logo to quickly be changed.At the time, Tim Olsen, the Centre’s CEO and managing director, said the “mistake was an unfortunate situation.”In June 2024, the UCP government announced it was dismantling the Centre’s standalone corporate structure and moving it in-house into the provincial government under the Premier’s Office, with responsibility for its work falling under Alberta Intergovernmental Relations.

EXCLUSIVE: Alberta's ‘energy war room’ drops 'Canadian' from name in sudden rebrand

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