Author: Nigel Bankes Page 24 of 88

Nigel Bankes is emeritus professor of law at the University of Calgary. Prior to his retirement in June 2021 Nigel held the chair in natural resources law in the Faculty of Law.

AER Commissioners Grant Summary Dismissal of Applications for Common Carrier and Rateable Take Orders

By Nigel Bankes

On February 18, 2020

In Civil Procedure, Energy

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: AER Commissioners Grant Summary Dismissal of Applications for Common Carrier and Rateable Take Orders

Decisions Commented On: (1) 2020 ABAER 002, Bearspaw Petroleum Ltd. Common Carrier and Rateable Take Order Applications, Applications 1877294 and 1878333, and (2) Re: Proceeding 360 Harvest Operations Ltd., Decision on Motion to Dismiss, Bearspaw Petroleum Ltd. Applications 1877294 and 1878333, January 24, 2020

In January 2017 Bearspaw filed applications with the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) seeking common carrier and rateable take orders against Harvest Operations Ltd with respect to gas produced from the Crossfield Basal Quartz C Pool (BQC pool). The matter was originally set down for hearing in September 2018 but was adjourned pending other legal proceedings in which Bearspaw had to establish its rights to produce from its 02/11 well in the BQC pool (so far as I am aware those proceedings are not reported). The current hearing was scheduled to begin January 13, 2020, but on November 14, 2019 Harvest filed a motion asking the AER to dismiss Bearspaw’s applications or adjourn the proceedings. On January 24, 2020 the Commission hearing panel chaired by Cecilia Low granted Harvest’s motion and dismissed the applications. On January 30, 2020 the Commissioners issued a decision cancelling the scheduled hearing; the cancellation decision contains a hyperlink to the Commissioners’ decision on the motion.

Public Inquiry Into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns: Interim Report

By Nigel Bankes

On February 4, 2020

In Energy

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: Public Inquiry Into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns: Interim Report

Matter Commented On: Allan Inquiry Interim Report, January 31, 2020

ABlawg has published a number of posts on the Allan Inquiry: The Alberta Inquiry and Freedom of Expression; Everything You Wish You Didn’t Need to Know About the Alberta Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns; and Procedural Fairness and the Alberta Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns.

Mr. Allan has now delivered his interim report to Minister Savage as required by his terms of reference (ToR). According to the ToR the interim report is to deal with “advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options related to the Inquiry …”.

AUC Announces a Second Round of Consultations on Self-Supply and Export

By Nigel Bankes

On January 15, 2020

In Energy

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: AUC Announces a Second Round of Consultations on Self-Supply and Export

Matters Commented On: AUC Bulletin 2020-01, Exploring market concerns and tariff issues related to self-supply and export reform, January 9, 2020; and AUC Decision 24979-D01-2020, International Paper Canada Pulp Holdings ULC, Industrial System Designation and Permanent Connection Order for the Grande Prairie Pulp Mill Complex, January 10, 2020.

The Electric Utilities Act, SA 2003, c E-5.1, (EUA; and regulations) and the Hydro and Electric Energy Act, RSA 2000, c H-16, (HEEA) oblige generators in Alberta to offer their generation to the power pool and to exchange energy through the pool. There are a number of exceptions to these requirements but in a series of decisions during 2019 the AUC concluded that these exceptions are narrowly framed. These decisions are EPCOR Water Services Inc., EL Smith Solar Power Plant, February 20, 2019, Decision 23418-D01-2019; AUC Decision 23756-DOI-2019, Advantage Oil and Gas Ltd. Glacier Power Plant Alteration, April 26, 2019; AUC Decision 24393-D01-2019, International Paper Canada Pulp Holdings ULC Request for Permanent Connection for 48-Megawatt Power Plant, June 6, 2019; and AUC Decision 24126-D01-2019, Keyera Energy Ltd, Cynthia Gas Plant Power Plant Application, June 25, 2019. I commented on those decisions in Opening a Can of Worms and here and here.

Statutory Appeal Rights in Relation to Administrative Decision-Maker Now Attract an Appellate Standard of Review: A Possible Legislative Response

By Nigel Bankes

On January 3, 2020

In Administrative Law

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: Statutory Appeal Rights in Relation to Administrative Decision-Maker Now Attract an Appellate Standard of Review: A Possible Legislative Response

Decision Commented On: Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65 (CanLII)

The Supreme Court of Canada used Vavilov and its companion cases Bell Canada v Canada (Attorney General), 2019 SCC 66 (CanLII)) (the Super Bowl Case) and Canada Post Corp. v Canadian Union of Postal Workers, 2019 SCC 67 (CanLII) as an opportunity to re-examine its approach to judicial review of administrative decisions. The Court reaffirmed much of the Dunsmuir approach (Dunsmuir v New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9 (CanLII), [2008] 1 SCR 190) as refined in the subsequent case law. In particular, it has reaffirmed that in most cases the standard of review is reasonableness. The Court also reaffirmed a series of exceptions to that presumption namely where the legislature has indicated that a different standard should apply, and where the rule of law requires that a correctness standard should apply (i.e. constitutional questions, general questions of law of central importance to the legal system as a whole, and jurisdictional boundaries between two or more administrative bodies).

Provisional Application of an Amendment to the London Protocol to Facilitate Collaborative CCS Projects

By Nigel Bankes

On December 10, 2019

In Energy

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: Provisional Application of an Amendment to the London Protocol to Facilitate Collaborative CCS Projects

Document Commented On: Resolution LP.5(14) on the Provisional Application of the 2009 Amendment to Article 6 of the London Protocol, adopted 11 October 2019, by the 14^th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matters. [Note: Documents relating to the London Convention and Protocol including this document may be accessed on the website of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) here but users have to create an account to obtain access. Follow “Meeting Documents” and then LC Documents (Session 41). For convenience, the text of the Resolution is included at the foot of this post].

This post examines the recent decision of the Contracting Parties to the 1996 Protocol (the London Protocol or LP) to the London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matters (London Dumping Convention or LC) to agree to the provisional application of an amendment to Article 6 of the LP. That amendment (originally adopted in 2009) when it enters into force will allow the export of CO₂for geological sequestration. The amendment is a crucial piece of the puzzle to permit collaborative projects for the subsea disposal of captured carbon dioxide emissions from industrial facilities located elsewhere than the coastal State responsible for the disposal site. This initiative, which will permit provisional application of that amendment, will help facilitate projects such as the Equinor-led Northern Lights Project on the Norwegian continental shelf. That project is currently drilling a test well: see here and here.