There is great consternation in Alberta’s energy sector. As people across Alberta clamor to figure out what the seismic political shift means, there is deep concern in downtown Calgary about some NDP policies.

The fear is palpable when it comes to fiscal policy – the combination of another royalty review, increased corporate tax, carbon pricing and increased refining in Alberta has people fretting.
While these concerns are valid, the energy industry would be wise not to rush to judgment on Rachel Notley’s NDP. The premier-elect has gone out of her way to signal that she is willing to work with the energy sector. And, she has indicated that she will build a government steeped in Alberta’s traditions – not one beholden to the federal NDP. Albertans have chosen Ms. Notley’s team and it deserves a chance to demonstrate it can govern effectively.

Frankly, the NDP will need all the help it can get; it did not have the benefit of recruiting candidates with either the expectation of victory or the luxury of time.

While the NDP policy platform sets the general direction for our new government, there is not much policy meat on the bones. Albertans who care about this province should seize the opportunity to help the new government shape policy. The faster the energy sector moves from fear and resentment to constructive engagement, the better off Alberta will be.

In the wake of this political shift, it is easy to miss the opportunities presented to the energy sector by an NDP government. Public polling research conducted by the Canada West Foundation in 2014 indicated that public support of the energy industry is extremely low. The polling revealed a widely held perception that the industry is interested in profits to the exclusion of all else.

There has also been a perception that governments and regulators have been in the pocket of industry – which has contributed to the negative perceptions of Alberta held in other parts of the country. The perception of Alberta’s government changed in this week’s vote – it will not be as easy to accuse an NDP government of being captured by the energy industry.

The Notley government’s support for oil sands and pipelines – even if it is a more conditional and qualified support – will have wide-reaching implications for interprovincial relations in Canada. If premier-elect Notley seizes the opportunity to reimagine Alberta’s climate strategy – and she does so in a thoughtful way that respects Alberta’s economic interests – then the energy sector could reap enormous benefit. She may actually be able to clear the political barriers that have riddled pipeline approval and construction for years.

It isn’t going to be easy, but the prize is worth the effort. Let’s hope the industry is able to move from fear to constructive engagement in short order.

— By Trevor McLeod, Director of the Centre for Natural Resources Policy