10 Things Albertans Might Actually Like About Their Carbon Tax
It’s been a full six months since Alberta introduced its economy-wide carbon levy and the sky has not fallen. In fact, unlike what many politicians and pundits were predicting ahead…
James Wilt
Rolling Stone’s new cover article on Trudeau is barefaced propaganda
By now, you’ve probably heard about the saccharine 6,660-word hagiography on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that was just published in Rolling Stone. Immediately following the article’s publication on July 26,…
Industry Sways Feds to Allow Offshore Drilling in Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area
If an ocean valley becomes federally protected but seismic work and offshore drilling is allowed in more than 80 per cent of the territory, is it really federally protected? That’s…
Why We Need to Clean Up Mining if We Want a Renewable Energy Economy
A massive open-pit copper mine might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar power. But the construction of photovoltaic panels actually require a wide…
The Problem With Climate Doomsday Reporting, And How To Move Beyond It
It’s not often that an article about climate change becomes one of the most hotly debated issues on the internet — especially in the midst of a controversial G20 summit.…
EXCLUSIVE: NEB Quietly Grants Pipeline Companies Permission to Keep Repair Locations Secret
Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has quietly stopped requiring pipeline companies to post the geographic coordinates of repairs, DeSmog Canada has learned. The federal pipeline regulator cites “public safety” as…
Three Indigenous Perspectives on Canada 150 in the Era of Pipelines, Dams and Mines
The massive “Canada 150” celebrations of July 1 are finally over, leaving little in their wake but hangovers, a multi-million dollar price tag and mountains of trash. But for some…
What’s the Future of Hydroelectric Power in Canada?
After weeks of delay, the B.C. NDP has finally been asked to form government, thanks to a co-operation agreement with the Green Party. A key component of that now-famous NDP-Green…
No Sure Plans, Funding for $51 Billion Cleanup and Rehabilitation of Oilsands Tailings Ponds
The future of Alberta’s sprawling tailings ponds is in serious crisis. As of right now, there is no clear understanding if or how oilsands companies are going to clean up…
Meet The Unsexy Climate Solution That Cuts Energy Bills, Creates Jobs and Saves Rivers
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has long been criticized for lowballing the potential for renewable power and overestimating future demand for oil and gas. Such forecasts matter. After all, the…
Q&A: How the Legacies of Peter Lougheed and Ralph Klein Hang Over the Oilsands
Alberta is a province renown for its political dynasties. Since its founding in 1905, only five parties have ruled, with the Progressive Conservatives reigning for a staggering 44 years between…
Saskatchewan Did What?! Province OKs Canada’s First Geothermal Power Plant
Saskatchewan has developed a bit of a negative reputation on the environmental front lately. Guess that’s what happens when a premier threatens to sue the federal government over mandated carbon…
What You Need to Know About New Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer
On Saturday night, Andrew Scheer was elected as the next leader of the federal Conservatives. At 38 years old, Scheer was the youngest of the 13 candidates in the race…
Business Not As Usual: What Kinder Morgan Isn’t Telling Investors
Kinder Morgan is providing potential investors with shoddy information, according to a complaint filed with the Alberta Securities Commission by Greenpeace Canada last week. The formal complaint contends the company’s…
3 Ways B.C. Could Stop Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline
The prospect of a new provincial government in B.C. has sparked fresh political debate about Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, which is opposed by B.C.’s NDP and Green Party, despite…
Trudeau Promised to Fix the National Energy Board. Here’s What His Expert Panel Recommends
After six months of consultations, the National Energy Board (NEB) Modernization Expert Panel has delivered its long-awaited report. The results are damning. “In our consultations we heard of a National…
The Good, The Bad And the Ugly: Where Conservative Leadership Candidates Stand on the Environment
The next leader of the Conservative Party will be chosen on May 27. While only Conservative Party members are eligible to vote in the ranked ballot election, the outcome will…
It’s Official: Coal Just Became Uneconomic in Canada
Marijuana wasn’t the only green thing being celebrated on April 20. In a somewhat unexpected move, the Calgary-based electricity company TransAlta announced it will accelerate the phase-out of eight coal-fired…
Will Youth Voter Turnout Decide the B.C. Election?
Only two weeks remain until Election Day in British Columbia and one of the biggest questions to be answered between now and then is how many millennials — voters between…
It’s Still Unclear How Alberta’s Tailings Will Be Cleaned Up Or Who Will Pay For It
For years, Alberta’s government has reassured the public that it has a plan to ensure the oilsands’ 1.2 trillion litres of hazardous tailings are permanently dealt with after mines shut…