Federal natural resources minister hails carbon capture technology at Boundary Dam

Federal Natural Resource Minister Jim Carr is the latest in a string of officials to tour the Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project.

He said carbon capture technology was actually singled out during the three amigos summit in Ottawa as one of the roads to a low carbon economy. After touring the facility first hand, he was impressed with what he found.

“The passion of the scientists, the sophistication of the technology, the sense that they’re on the leading edge, and that it’s right at the sweet spot of where we are as a nation and where Canada fits internationally as we move towards renewable energy.”

He noted that Boundary Dam is really a leader in the world for CCS technology that will play a big part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

When asked about the political resistance in Saskatchewan towards introducing a carbon tax, Carr would only say that the prime minister will continue meeting with premiers to find common ground on the issue. He said the federal government respects the rights of the provinces to come up with specific carbon regimes.

But Carr wouldn’t say whether the CCS facility would make up for Saskatchewan’s share of a looming carbon tax.

“Every province is doing what it can to meet its own climate goals, investing, along with others – including the Government of Canada – in those technologies that will take us to where we want to be as a country and internationally, and that is to lower greenhouse gases.”

Carr said CCS technology is one innovation among many that can be used to reach those goals.