Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I'd like to thank the Centre for Urban Innovation for inviting me to be part of this important conference. It's a real pleasure to be here. I also want to thank them for holding this year's conference in Alberta for the first time.
I believe our province has a lot of good ideas to share when it comes to sustainability.
I don't mean to imply that we've got it all figured out — we don't! But the growth Alberta has experienced in the last decade has brought a lot of public policy issues relating to sustainability to the forefront in our province.
We have competing and increasing demands on our land base. We have housing pressures in our cities and towns. We have infrastructure pressures all over the province. And we have a rapidly growing population, which challenges government's ability to provide sustainable public services.
Even more pressing is the strain that growth puts on our communities.
Albertans recognize that a strong economy is not an end in itself. It's a means to provide the prosperity, quality of life, and public services we want and need. And Albertans understand that economic growth that doesn't lead to stronger, healthier, more vibrant communities is of no benefit at all.
To build those communities, sustainability must be part of everything we do. It's a "need to have," not a "nice to have.
That's why Alberta is not content to be known merely as an economic leader in Canada. We want to be a global leader in environmental protection, and responsible, sustainable development.
Albertans expect that, and so do those who invest here, and those who buy our exports. So I'm pleased to have this opportunity to share with you some of the ways Alberta is addressing the challenges of a sustainable future.
One is the draft land-use framework Minister Morton spoke about yesterday.
Implementing this framework is one of our government's most important public policy initiatives.
Few jurisdictions have ever attempted to adopt such a comprehensive approach to land-use planning and decision-making.
It will make us a leader, but even more important, it will ensure that Alberta remains a great place to work and live for future generations.
The framework will provide a solid foundation for continued, responsible growth, while meeting Albertans' environmental and social priorities.
When the draft framework is released over the next month, you will be able to review it and see how your input has been reflected in our province's plans to move forward.
We expect to finalize the framework by fall.
I can assure the municipal officials in the audience that municipalities will retain their decision-making authority, and they will continue to play a fundamental role in land-use decision-making in this province.
Quite simply, we need to work with groups like the Calgary Region Partnership, because you are the level of government that can most influence the development of our communities.
It's clear the need for sustainable land-use planning in Alberta has been intensified by the rapid growth our province is experiencing.
That growth has also placed particular pressure on Alberta's public infrastructure.
There's no doubt we have some catching up to do. And we're going to catch up — and keep up!
We've developed a 20-year capital plan to help us do that. It includes not only building the infrastructure Alberta needs, but also maintaining the infrastructure we already have.
Those dollars are already at work here in Calgary for the development of roads, transportation systems, and new and expanded recreational facilities.
This investment in infrastructure is critical if we're going to take advantage of new opportunities to broaden our economy, and take our quality of life to a new level.
One of the areas where it's most important for Alberta to be a leader is in sustainable energy development.
Global energy demand is expected to grow by 50 percent over the next 30 years. And demand for secure, sustainable energy solutions will grow with it.
Alberta's future depends on meeting both those demands — as a global leader in responsible resource development, and in energy technology and innovation.
To put it even more clearly, Calgary's future depends on this. It lies very much within Calgary's reach to make this city 'the global centre for all things energy' — and that must be our goal.
With the development of the oil sands, Alberta is set to become the second largest — perhaps even the largest — energy producer in the world. And we must produce that energy in a responsible and sustainable manner.
We have already shown leadership as the first province to set up a system to measure emissions, and legislate targets for large industrial emitters.
The new rules came into effect on July 1 last year, and companies had until March 31 this year to comply. Preliminary results indicate that Alberta companies reduced their emissions by 2.6 million tones.
That's equivalent to taking half a million vehicles off the road in a year, an amazing result in such a short time. Now, we're taking the next step forward into carbon capture and storage technology on a wide scale.
Our goal is to reduce oil sands emissions to equivalent or less than those of conventional oil.
We're doing these things because our future depends on it.
We have a unique opportunity to leverage our position as an energy producer into a new economy. One that will give our children and grandchildren the same advantages we've been blessed with. A next generation economy, one built on innovation and sustainability.
We need to broaden the province's economic base. We need to add value to services and products here — in Alberta — not somewhere down the pipeline.
That's why we're creating a new enterprise fund to attract venture capital to Alberta, and a new tax credit for scientific research and development.
We're going to provide more support to innovators with new product commercialization centers, more support for business development, and new initiatives that promote entrepreneurship in the technology sectors, with the goal of creating a sustainable, stable and prosperous future for our province.
Calgary lies at the heart of that vision.
We know that great cities don't happen by accident. They are the result of civic leadership; the product of a partnership between government, business, and the community.
That happens when civic leaders think boldly about building for the future — not just for the next year, or the next term.
We need to think about how all the parts of the puzzle will fit together: housing, schools, roads, parks and transit.
We need to think beyond single projects, and remember that we're building a city. If you meet that challenge, you will find an enthusiastic partner in the Government of Alberta.
We will support urban transit. We will create world-class public buildings. We will invest in universities, colleges and schools, and we will support the arts and culture.
Because this is a great city in a great province, with the potential to be a world leader in urban development in the 21st century.
Calgary is at a critical point in its history. And I know that Calgarians have a vision of their community as a global city — a sustainable city.
With a business, social, and physical environment that competes with the best in the world, and attracts the best in the world.
That's a vision I share: a vision this government will work to achieve.
Thank you.