EDMONTON – The government is hosting a telephone town hall to hear from Albertans and answer questions about the royalty review process.
The telephone town hall will run 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Publicly-listed telephone numbers that are not on the National Do Not Call list will be dialed and invited to participate in the call. Cellphone users and anyone else who’s interested in participating can call in using 1-877-229-8493 (ID 114591) starting at 6:55 p.m.
The 90-minute call will be moderated. A question and answer period will follow panel chair Dave Mowat’s opening remarks.
Albertans are also invited to submit their questions and comments online at letstalkroyalties.ca.
Last week, the province hosted community engagement sessions in Calgary and Edmonton to get feedback on the future of Alberta’s royalty framework.
READ MORE: How should oil revenue be split? Alberta government talking royalty review
Reviewing whether Albertans are getting a fair slice of the province’s oil and gas wealth was a key election promise from the left-leaning NDP, which swept to power in May.
Some have warned against reviewing royalties at a time when thousands of jobs are being cut. Others have argued that if royalties are going to change, it’s best to let industry know as quickly as possible.
On Aug. 28, Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd said royalty rates will stay steady through the end of 2016.
“I talk to owners and workers in the oil industry and gas industry daily and I recognize their concerns,” she said. “They want certainty, particularly given how tough times are in the oil and gas sector right now.”
WATCH: Dave Mowat talks about Alberta royalty review
On Sept. 23, former Alberta premier Alison Redford commented on the Alberta NDP’s decision to raise corporate taxes and launch a royalty review.
“It was certainly, as I understand it, commitments she made during the election and that’s what people supported. I think it’s inevitable that people want to talk about royalties. I don’t know what the outcome of that will be,” said Redford.
“I think it’s probably an important thing for us to be talking about, at a time when people can see the economic impact of the energy economy slowing down, because it takes some of the hypothetical out of the situation,” said Redford.
*NOTE: This article was originally posted on Oct. 2 and was updated on Oct. 13.
Comments