Speaking to reporters, the Alberta premier said the province has the “same goal” as Ottawa in supporting the technology. In a separate interview with the Calgary Herald, Smith said Alberta has already spent billions on carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) over the last 15 years, and “will continue doing more.” (Calgary Herald, Reuters)

Talking point: Smith was light on details around how much the provincial government might provide, and when, but said she had tasked Environment Minister Sonya Savage with preparing a proposal to support CCUS and other carbon-reduction technologies. Still, her comments suggest Alberta is considering complementing the federal government’s CCUS tax credit, unveiled in last year’s budget. They come just days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised hackles in Alberta by commenting that provinces with budget surpluses should consider investing in CCUS. Smith shot back by pointing to Alberta’s past CCUS contributions, adding that the province is tired of being the Trudeau government’s “punching bag.”