Nicholas McKenna

Engagement focused on advancing North American energy security and strengthening U.S.–Canada energy trade relations. Conversations regarding regulatory and fiscal reforms to enhance Canada’s energy competitiveness and support a Canadian energy strategy. Key priorities include simplifying regulations, accelerating project approval, enhancing market access, eliminating production caps, establishing globally competitive carbon pricing and fiscal frameworks, and enabling Indigenous investment opportunities to drive growth and economic resilience. Engagement in support of the Pathways Alliance foundational CCS project including regulatory engagement, tax credits, carbon contracts for difference, climate policy, and engagement on initiatives and technologies to support oilsands greenhouse gas reduction. Engage with the federal government to better understand the forthcoming changes announced in Budget 2025 regarding work to improve climate disclosure across the economy, that seeks alignment with international standards and harmonization across federal-provincial-territorial jurisdictions. Discussions related to amendments to the Competition Act introduced through Bill C-59 that impact the ability to talk about environmental programs, performance, and goals. Discussions related to the development and implementation of federal methane regulations regarding operational safety, economic competitiveness, consideration and integration with provincial approaches, and effective management of methane reductions. Discussions related to the elimination of the proposed oil and gas emissions cap, and the government’s strategy to align environmental performance with global trade and investment expectations. Discussions related to federal government’s Climate Competitiveness Strategy, including the federal output-based pricing system (industrial carbon pricing), the development of provincial equivalency standards and programs, and associated carbon markets. Discussions related to Canada’s sustainable investment guidelines to understand and inform measures to mobilize capital for the transition to net zero, including a sustainable investment taxonomy, a Sustainable Bond Framework, and working with provinces to improve climate disclosures and harmonize rules across jurisdictions. Discissions related to forthcoming budgets and/or economic updates related to taxation of the upstream oil and gas sector. Specifically, the implementation of budget-related tax incentives beyond 2030 as well as the extension of clean technology investment tax credits for electrification to include intra-provincial projects.