A Tale of Two Provinces: Imposing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Constraints Through Law and Policy in Alberta and British Columbia

In Canada, there has been much discussion regarding the best approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These discussions have moved beyond theory in two provinces that approached the issue from two very different vantage points. Alberta and, more recently, British Columbia have introduced their own legislative responses to reducing emissions on a provincial level. This article provides an overview of the “tale” of two provinces grappling with some of the thorniest greenhouse gas regulatory issues, including the establishment of emission limits, developing frameworks to govern processes and practice for carbon trading, and developing mechanisms to address regulation and funding of carbon capture and sequestration projects. The article concludes with a review of some of the challenges created for the oil and gas sector by the differing visions incorporated in the legislative and policy responses of the two jurisdictions, and identifies key challenges to harmonization of these efforts across Canada.