Ottawa doles out $9.7 million to support Alberta jobs, hydrogen industry

The federal government delivered nearly $10 million Tuesday to support Alberta’s growing hydrogen industry as the province continues to accuse Ottawa of wanting to shut down jobs in its energy sector.

The federal money is expected to support 1,600 jobs by improving access to hydrogen fuels, supporting product testing, attracting investment and providing more training for Alberta workers.

“We know that this is a growing area of the Alberta economy,” said Dan Vandal, minister in charge of Prairies Economic Development Canada, which delivered the funding.

“Alberta will always be an energy powerhouse and we’re doing our best to make sure that the new technologies that are greener will help maintain and sustain good quality jobs.”

The announcement came as Alberta’s United Conservative Party government criticized the federal Liberals for wanting to phase out oilpatch jobs without plans to replace them.

“It should concern Albertans, and frankly all Canadians, that (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s) ‘Just Transition’ plan will eliminate 2.7 million jobs — according to a Liberal memo,” Premier Danielle Smith wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

“I’m not sure what to make of that,” said Vandal.

“Our aim is to create good sustainable jobs for Albertans. Nobody is looking to do anything but that.”

Federal Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, an Edmonton MP who was at the announcement, said Canada could see up to $50 billion invested in hydrogen in the future, with the bulk of that going to Alberta.

“Everything we’re doing is about adding jobs,” he said. “To suggest that we would target a sector, is not true.”

The figure Smith quoted is from a ministerial briefing note. It is the sum total of all jobs in all sectors expected to be affected as a low-carbon economy takes shape.

Smith has previously said what is now being called a “sustainable jobs” plan would cost more than 180,000 Albertans their jobs.