Alberta Premier Danielle Smith considers 2024 as a year full of surprises, with crucial issues like power grid instability overlooked while new concerns like trade tariffs and AI data centers emerged.
In a Jan. 2
episode of the provincial news program Alberta Update, Smith discussed the challenges her government faced last year and what to expect in 2025. She noted how the focus shifted from the power grid to new areas like AI data centers and U.S. trade talks in 2024.
“It’s surprising how issues that were once a priority fade away,” she remarked. “At the start of the year, the failing power grid was a major concern.”
The province encountered significant power grid
challenges in 2023 and 2024, resulting in power outages amid high demand and insufficient energy supply during a cold snap in January last year.
Smith mentioned that while electricity issues may persist in 2025, there is now an excess of electricity, leading to lower prices. She highlighted the ongoing restructuring of the electricity market by her Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Newdorf.
An unexpected focus for Alberta is attracting energy-intensive AI data centers to establish the province as a hub in the international arena, Smith explained. The government announced a strategy on Dec. 4 to position Alberta as “North America’s destination of choice” for this emerging sector, leveraging the province’s natural gas supply and energy industry.
Smith addressed the potential impact of U.S. tariffs as Canada prepares for a federal election coinciding with the Trump administration’s transition. She emphasized the importance of a prime minister with a four-year mandate to navigate U.S. relations effectively.
Smith unveiled a $29 million border security plan in response to tariff threats, aimed at addressing U.S. national security concerns that could prompt tariffs.
She stressed the need to address border security issues like gun trafficking and human smuggling to reassure the U.S. about Canada’s commitment to security.
The federal government has allocated $1.3 billion to enhance border security in response to potential tariffs by the incoming administration.
Smith discussed how Ottawa pushed back its net-zero electricity grid target to 2050 from 2035 in 2024. Alberta viewed this decision as validation of its more practical approach to achieve a carbon-neutral power grid by 2050.
Smith reiterated her opposition to federal environmental policies such as emissions caps on oil and gas and the labeling of plastics as “toxic,” citing them as federal overreach. She also criticized the carbon tax for increasing Canadians’ cost of living.
Smith’s government is pursuing legal challenges against the federal government, alleging infringement on provincial jurisdiction. The federal government argues it has the authority to address issues of national concern like climate change.
Smith highlighted policies enacted in 2024, including investments in school construction, addiction treatment centers, and incentivizing family doctors to improve primary care access. She also mentioned challenges like dealing with inactive oil and gas wells and meeting the needs of a growing population.
The Canadian Press and Jennifer Cowan contributed to this report.
