Policy Tours

Alberta-hosted Policy Tour Highlights – Saturday, July 21 Site Visit to Alberta’s Oil Sands – Tuesday, July 24

Alberta-hosted Policy Tour Highlights – Saturday afternoon, July 21, 2012
Experience Alberta innovation during a unique afternoon of policy tours on Saturday, July 21. Choose from sites showcasing best practices and environmental responsibility in the areas that may include energy production, waste management, transportation, health care technology and more.

Choose from policy tour options including:
Alberta Industrial Heartland Association External Link
At 225 square miles, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland region is Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region. This facility is home to more than 40 companies, with over $25 billion in investments. Delegates will visit the Industrial Heartland facility and see a presentation on the region.

Edmonton Public Schools External Link
Edmonton Public Schools’ open boundary system allows students and parents to choose schools with programs tailored to their studies. Delegates will see a presentation on how Edmonton Public Schools manages their school system, including what they’ve accomplished to earn top honors from around the world. 

Waste ManagementEdmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence (EWCME) External Link
Delegates will tour North America’s largest collection of modern, sustainable waste processing and research facilities. The 575-acre EWMC site has four areas of focus: technology development, research, education and training, and advisory services.

Capital Power’s Genesee 3 Supercritical Power Facility External Link
Participants will tour this 450 MW supercritical power plant—the first of its kind in Canada. Supercritical technology is considered more reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly than conventional coal firing.

Food ProcessingFood Processing Development Centre External Link
Participants will tour and see a presentation on this pilot plant and product development laboratory facility in the nearby city of Leduc. This fully equipped centre provides a research development facility for agri-food companies or those interested in non-food uses of agricultural products.

Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Project External Link
Delegates will get an overview of the Quest carbon capture and storage project, which will capture CO2 from the Shell Scotford upgrader, separate and compress it, then transport and store it 1.2 miles below ground. Starting in 2015, the project will capture and store 1.3 million tons of CO2 per year.

Site Visit to Alberta’s Oil Sands – Tuesday, July 24th, all day (by invitation)
Western legislators will have the opportunity to learn the real story about Alberta’s oil sands as the
Alberta government hosts a full day trip to the Fort McMurray region on Tuesday, July 24. This is the day
after the conference, but legislators will find it well worth staying the extra day to see the region, home to
the world’s third largest proven oil reserves. As space is limited, the tour invitations are being coordinated
with the presiding officers of each western state legislature. Please contact David Kettles for more information at david.kettles@gov.ab.ca.