The AER Quietly Implemented a Two-Tier Mandatory Closure Spend Target

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Drew Yewchuk

By: Drew Yewchuk

Regulatory Change Commented On: The AER’s Inventory Reduction Program

 PDF Version: The AER Quietly Implemented a Two-Tier Mandatory Closure Spend Target

Starting in mid-2021, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) adopted a new liability management framework to address the problems of inactive conventional oil and gas assets. The new liability management framework includes mandatory closure spend targets, a requirement for companies to spend a certain amount on closure work each year. The mandatory closure spend targets deal with the liabilities of inactive assets and not orphan assets (it is not to be confused with the orphan fund levy, used to fund the Orphan Well Association that abandons and remediates wells with owners that went bankrupt). Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Resources, Oil & Gas | Comments Off on The AER Quietly Implemented a Two-Tier Mandatory Closure Spend Target

The Right to Your Day in Court

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Kaye Booth

By: Kaye Booth

Case commented on: Heiser v Bowden Institution, 2022 ABCA 300 (CanLII)

PDF Version: The Right to Your Day in Court

Courts have the responsibility to listen to the applications brought before them, especially when an individual’s liberty is at issue. On the other hand, courts have the inherent power to prevent the misuse of their procedures and to control proceedings. These two roles of the court may conflict with each other – if the court has the inherent power to label litigants as vexatious and prevent them from making further applications, how is this squared with the litigant’s right to access the court and the court’s duty to hear them? Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal, Vexatious Litigants | Comments Off on The Right to Your Day in Court

The Oppression Remedy Tests: Oppression v Unfair Prejudice & Unfair Disregard

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Jassmine Girgis

By: Jassmine Girgis

Case commented on: Wisser v CEM International Management Consultants Ltd, 2022 ABQB 414 (CanLII)

PDF Version: The Oppression Remedy Tests: Oppression v Unfair Prejudice & Unfair Disregard

This blog broadly addresses how creditors can utilize the oppression remedy. It includes a specific discussion on the three tests in the oppression remedy. It will not address the issue of severance. Continue reading →

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Confirmed in Law: The Decision-Maker for COVID-19 Public Health Orders in Alberta is the Chief Medical Officer of Health

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Lorian Hardcastle

By: Lorian Hardcastle and Shaun Fluker

Decision commented on: CM v Alberta, 2022 ABKB 716 (See here for the decision, which was not on CanLII as of the date of writing)

PDF Version: Confirmed in Law: The Decision-Maker for COVID-19 Public Health Orders in Alberta is the Chief Medical Officer of Health

In the winter of 2022, the Alberta government repealed the bulk of its COVID-19 public health measures in an effort to be among the first provinces to re-open. On February 8, 2022, the Premier announced that children would no longer be required to mask in school and, on that same day, the Minister of Education (Adriana LaGrange) issued a written statement that “school boards will not be empowered by provincial health order or recommendations from the CMOH to require ECS – grade 12 students to be masked to attend school in person or to ride a school bus.” Continue reading →

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Lower Athabasca Regional Plan 10-Year Review Part 2: Alberta’s Regional Plan Development

Posted on October 26, 2022 by David Laidlaw

By: David Laidlaw

Matter Commented on: Lower Athabasca Regional Plan

PDF Version: Lower Athabasca Regional Plan 10-Year Review Part 2: Alberta’s Regional Plan Development

In the development of regional plans, Alberta appoints selected stakeholders to provide advice in the form of a Regional Advisory Council (RAC) in conjunction with opportunities for public consultation, with the provincial Cabinet making the final regional plan, as set out in Part 1 of this post. Continue reading →

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