“Your investigative reporting is having an actual impact and I want to support that.”

“You have done amazing and important speaking truth to power.”

Pardon us, but we’ve been a bit overwhelmed by the notes of support from the 145 Narwhal readers who joined as members since Tuesday.

Those 145 readers? They’re getting brand-new Narwhal tote bags as a thank you for supporting independent, investigative journalism. That means we only have 55 totes left — one could be yours if you sign up for any monthly or annual amount you can afford! Will you join the growing chorus of readers helping us launch more agenda-setting investigations?

Now, onto this week’s newsletter, from a province where we’ve been doing our fair share of investigative reporting: Alberta. 

The Prairies have been abuzz with talk about renewables — or talk about quashing renewables — for some time now. 

A year ago, Alberta was on its way to being Canada’s renewable energy capital. A few things have happened since then. 

First there was last summer’s moratorium on new renewable energy projects, which slammed the brakes on billions of dollars in investment. Then there was the back and forth about who actually asked for the moratorium — with Alberta reporter Drew Anderson unearthing a series of documents poking holes in the government’s (shaky) narrative.

Premier Danielle Smith’s government said it would use the “pause” for an inquiry into the impacts of renewables in the province.

It’s worth taking a step back to say, yes, renewable energy is happening fast here. And, yes, there are questions. On fertile soil, is a solar farm the best use? What happens when a company decides it’s done with a wind farm?

But as critics of the government’s moratorium have pointed out, there are similar questions about all sorts of industries in the province (cough, oil and gas) and those industries aren’t facing a “pause.” 

Then, in February, the government shocked Albertans again, announcing it would establish 35-kilometre buffer zones around protected areas and “pristine viewscapes” — something one minister described as “unobstructed, natural landscapes.” 

Those buffer zones would prevent any new wind farms.

Cue more questions. Wouldn’t a 35-kilometre buffer zone around protected areas cover most of the province? What the heck is a pristine viewscape? And are there any “unobstructed, natural landscapes” left anymore?

As Drew reports, we got (a tiny bit) more clarity when the government released a draft map, showing new wind farms will be forbidden from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains to as far east as Calgary.

Some call it hypocrisy. The Alberta Utilities Commission, in its report as part of the government-ordered inquiry into renewable energy development, said itself that any prohibition to “achieve viewscape protection” should be “industry agnostic” and “apply to all forms of development within the restricted zone.”

Other uses of land are chugging along in the wind power no-go zones. Check out Drew’s latest explainer to see examples of things Alberta is still doing in those landscapes. Let’s just say they’re not exactly pretty.

Take care and stay agnostic about your industries,

Sharon J. Riley
Prairies bureau chief


P.S. Drew’s document dives into the inner workings of the Alberta government are only possible because thousands of loyal readers just like you give what they can every month. Will you join our growing pod? The next 55 people who sign up as members will get a Narwhal tote bag to say thanks for supporting investigative journalism.

This week in The Narwhal