Electrical Deregulation in Alberta: Has it Made Sense? (Part 1)

In 1995 Premier Ralph Klein and the Progressive Conservative party began the restructuring of electricity in Alberta with the introduction of "The Electrical Utilities Act". In 2001 a fully deregulated electricity market was opened. The only province in Canada with a deregulated market in electricity, Alberta is said by many to have one of the highest electricity rates in Canada. Voices on both sides of this have debated the gains and losses of this deregulation. The speaker knows something about this, as owner of Lethbridge Iron Works, an industry which uses a considerable amount of electricity. He will give some background on deregulation, what its impact has been, and what he sees as a possible solution. Speaker: John Davies John Davies is a Professional Engineer and President and co-owner of Lethbridge Iron Works. He graduated from the U of A with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA. He is also the Secretary and Treasurer of the Industrial Association of Southern Alberta (IASA). John was born and raised in Lethbridge and has called it home for most of his life. He became very involved in electricity deregulation during the late 1990s and early 2000s as the process unfolded. John has been a vocal critic of the process. He served on several government committees and has been widely quoted in the media on the issue. Lethbridge Iron Works spends up to $250,000 per month on electricity and has seen their competitiveness eroded due to the electricity costs in Alberta now being substantially higher than in other jurisdictions. Moderator: Van Christou Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $10.00 (includes lunch) Visit the SACPA website: http://www.sacpa.ca