Danielle Smith on Oil and Gas
TL;DR
Danielle Smith strongly advocates for maximizing oil and gas development to ensure stable energy supply and economic prosperity for Alberta.
Key Points
She stated that Alberta's economy depends on oil, gas, and coal, referencing this sentiment on Facebook in 2025.
The Premier has expressed openness to shipping Alberta oil to the Pacific Coast via the northwestern United States if progress on Canadian routes is stalled.
She advocates for technology like Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) to monetize byproducts and reduce emissions, viewing complete phase-out as impossible.
Summary
Danielle Smith firmly asserts that Alberta’s economy is fundamentally dependent on the continued development and export of its oil, gas, and coal resources, viewing this as essential for generating wealth and providing reliable energy to North American and international partners. Her position is centered on the strategic necessity of getting more of this resource to market, even exploring routes through the northwestern United States to the Pacific Coast if domestic progress stalls. She frames the province as the principal owner of these resources on behalf of its people, necessitating collaboration with the industry to develop and market them effectively.
This stance has led to a focus on infrastructure development, including pipelines, and a proactive approach to technological solutions for emissions, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). She views discussions about completely phasing out oil and gas as unrealistic, preferring a constructive conversation focused on phasing out emissions through technology, supporting the entrepreneurial sector to monetize byproducts like $\text{CO}_2$. Her tenure is marked by efforts to secure market access, often in contrast to federal climate policies, suggesting a pragmatic shift in approach where technology, rather than outright elimination of fossil fuels, is seen as the path forward for the sector's long-term viability.
Key Quotes
Danielle Smith says the war in Iran underscores the need for a new pipeline connecting her province's oil reserves to the West Coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Danielle Smith holds a strong, positive position on the oil and gas sector, viewing it as the indispensable backbone of Alberta's economy. She prioritizes getting more oil and gas resources to market via new infrastructure to secure energy supply and economic stability. She believes technological advancements, like CCUS, are the constructive way forward for emissions, rather than phasing out the industry entirely.
Her approach shows some evolution, shifting focus to how the industry can solve technical challenges like emissions via technology, which she sees as a new revenue stream. While consistently advocating for the sector, her framing now seems to emphasize pragmatic solutions and market access diversification rather than solely opposing federal policies.
The Premier has repeatedly stressed the critical need for new pipeline capacity to access global markets, sometimes citing geopolitical instability, such as the war in Iran, as underscoring this need. She views pipeline access as vital for Alberta's energy exports, even suggesting routes through the U.S. Northwest as an alternative to the West Coast.
Sources5
Danielle Smith says Iran war underscores need for new Alberta pipeline to the coast
U.S.-Canada Energy Relations with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith says Alberta's economy depends on oil, gas and coal—is that just stating the obvious?
Danielle Smith Says She's Open to Shipping Oil to Pacific Via U.S. Northwest
Alberta bolsters Canada-Mexico energy ties as Trump upends trade
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.