Can Canada afford to ignore U.S. energy needs? // Kent Fellows

Power Struggle

Dr. Kent Fellows is an economist and assistant professor at the University of Calgary. With expertise in energy, infrastructure, and competition policy, Kent has advised provincial, federal, and international governments on major policy decisions. He’s also a Fellow at the City Hall Institute, contributing to cutting-edge research on energy and infrastructure economics.
In this episode, Kent reveals how energy decisions ripple through households, businesses, and government revenues, exposing the often invisible costs Canadians face from lagging infrastructure.
We dive more into:

• What’s the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion?
• The invisible price Canadians pay without proper infrastructure plus savings opportunities
• Can the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion truly save Vancouverites over $1,000 a year on gas?
• Why Alberta’s oilsands could produce the world’s “last barrel” of oil
• What’s at stake for Canada and the U.S. in energy trade and policy decisions
• Criticism behind the carbon tax, “Ax the Tax” and Kent’s (maybe surprising!) take on it
• Do oil and gas companies actually care about the environment?
• The energy trilemma: Can we balance affordability, reliability, and sustainability?
• How oil sands producers are cutting emissions while staying globally competitive
• How to effectively plan for future infrastructure

Through Power Struggle, we’re giving audiences a holistic and objective view of the modern energy landscape. With Stewart Muir at the helm, listeners are invited into candid conversations with scientists, engineers, analysts, professors, sociologists, economists, and the many diverse voices addressing energy today.

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The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

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Chapters

1. Can Canada afford to ignore U.S. energy needs? // Kent Fellows (00:00:00)

2. Pipeline Expansion Impact on Gas Prices (00:00:12)

3. Natural Resource Revenue Benefits and Myths (00:10:34)

4. Oil Sands Economics and Production (00:15:37)

5. Energy Sector Emissions Reduction and Infrastructure (00:24:22)

6. Carbon Pricing and Emissions Reduction (00:30:44)

7. Northern Corridor Project and Infrastructure Development (00:39:35)

8. Environmental Costs, Future Generations, and Preservation (00:51:04)

9. Energy Policy Discussion Summarized (00:54:17)