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Alaska – Alberta
Relations
PROFILE DID YOU KNOW? In June 2002, Premier Klein &
Governor Knowles signed a
Capital: Juneau The Alaska Permanent Fund is a Memorandum of Understanding
Population: 686,293 (2008 est.) trust fund similar to Alberta’s (MOU), agreeing to cooperate in
Heritage Savings Trust Fund. It was such areas as energy,
Language: English established in 1976 to generate transportation, aboriginal issues,
perpetual revenues for present and trade and investment.
Government: Bicameral state
future generations of Alaskans.
government o The MOU created an Alaska-
Head of Government: Governor Sean The Fund’s value as of June 2008 Alberta Bilateral Council
Parnell (R) exceeds $US 39.4 billion, providing (AABC). The AABC working
an annual dividend to all citizens. groups focus on five areas:
Currency: $1 CDN = 0.969 USD, energy; transportation;
(January 2010) Anchorage hosted the 2007 annual economic development and
Pacific Northwest Economic Region tourism; aboriginal issues; and
GSP: $US 44.5 billion (2007) (PNWER) meeting. human resources, education
GSP Per Capita: $US 44,807 (2007 and training.
est.)
Alaska hosted the 2006 AABC
RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW
Key Industry Sectors: Oil & gas, meeting in Juneau, March 23-24.
tourism, commercial fishing, mining, Alberta-Alaska relations were close
forestry Tourism North is a joint marketing
in the 1970s and 1980s, based on
campaign to promote tourism in
common northern issues and
Unemployment: 8. 7% (Nov. 2009) partnership between Alberta and
similarities between Alberta’s
Alaska, along with British Columbia
Major Metropolitan Areas: Heritage Fund and Alaska’s
and the Yukon Territory.
(2008 est.) Permanent Fund.
Canadian and Alaskan agencies are
- Anchorage 362,340 Over the last few years, ties have
cooperating on the Wood Bison
been reinvigorated as Alaska seeks
- Fairbanks 97,484 Recovery Project, reintroducing
to develop its vast gas resources.
animals from Elk Island National
- Juneau 31,300 Park in Alberta to the Alaska Wildlife
Conservation Center.
Input was provided from the departments of: Advanced Education & Technology, Agriculture & Rural Development, Education and Energy
January 2010
Alberta's Exports to Alaska (1999-2008) Alberta's Exports to Alaska (2004-2008 Average)
160
140 Optic/Medical Other
Instruments
120 23% Machinery
4%
$CDN Millions
35%
100
Organic
80
Chemcials
60 4%
Vehicles-not
rail Mineral
40
6% Fuel/Oil
20
Furniture & 10%
Iron/Steel Bedding
0 8% 10%
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
TRADE AND INVESTMENT NATURAL GAS In December 2005, the US Senate, in a
close vote, blocked passage of a bill
Over the past five years, Alberta Alaska has about 10.245 trillion cubic that would allow some oil and gas
exports to Alaska have averaged feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas exploration in ANWR. Again, in May
$115.4 million per annum. reserves, or roughly 5% of total US 2006, the House of Representatives
natural gas reserves (2006). passed a bill to once again open up
Alberta’s merchandise exports to ANWR for drilling paving the way for
Alaska consist of machinery (mainly oil However, estimates suggest Alaska's another potential Senate vote on the
and gas equipment), oil, furniture and North Slope fields could contain 30-35 issue.
bedding. Tcf of stranded natural gas resources.
It has been projected that if ANWR is
Northern gas development has emerged opened to oil development, production
as a priority for both the US from ANWR would reach 900,000
ENERGY
Administration and Alaska government, barrels per day by 2025.
Alaska’s largest industry is oil and gas. to meet growing US demand. Getting
the northern gas to market is a key
In 2007, oil and gas industry revenues challenge.
from property, corporate income and
TRANSPORTATION
royalties contributed 87% of Alaska’s Alaska recognizes that Alberta’s well-
developed pipeline infrastructure and The CANAMEX initiative proposes a
General Purpose Unrestricted Revenue
status as an energy hub could be multi-lane super-highway from
and should continue to provide 91% in
advantageous for transporting Alaska’s northern Alberta, through the Rocky
2008.
gas to major markets in the lower 48 Mountain US states, down to Mexico
OIL states. City. Alaska may ultimately be the
northern terminus of this highway.
Alaska ranks 2nd in the United States in
crude oil reserves, after Texas. CANAMEX enhances trade, economic
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge development, technology infrastructure,
Alaska’s reserves, at 3.9 billion barrels,
(ANWR) recreation and tourism opportunities
account for over 18% of total US crude
oil reserves (2006). throughout the region, in addition to
ANWR located in the north-eastern increasing efficiency in multi-modal
corner of Alaska, is the largest wildlife transportation.
Following the discovery of the Prudhoe
refuge in the US, with approximately
Bay oil field, the largest in North
19.3 million acres (roughly the size of Alaska seeks Alberta’s support for the
America, in 1968, and the
South Carolina). ANWR shares a border possibility of connecting the state to the
commencement of oil production in
with the Yukon Territory. rest of the continent by rail.
1977, Alaska has been a vital domestic
oil supplier in the US The US Federal Government currently
prohibits oil and natural gas
All oil from Alaska’s Northern Slope is
development in the ANWR. Before oil
transported via the 800-mile Alyeska
and gas development can precede,
(Trans-Alaska) pipeline to the port at
Congress and the President need to
Valdez, where crude oil is shipped
authorize leasing and development.
primarily to California. More than 14
billion barrels have moved through the Opening ANWR to oil and gas
Trans Alaska Pipeline System since its exploration and production remains a
start up in 1977. controversial issue.
FORESTRY Industrial/agricultural machinery Anchorage to meet with Governor
Murkowski, BC and Yukon to discuss
Forestry is important to Alaska’s Metal products (basic, fabricated) the Alaskan gas pipeline.
economy, especially in the
southeastern region. Transportation equipment and tourism March 2006: Alberta delegates traveled
to Juneau for the 2006 Alaska-Alberta
Recent years have been difficult for the Chemicals and allied products Bilateral Council meeting.
forestry industry in Alaska. Pulp mill
closures (i.e. Ketchikan Pulp Mill), and January 2005: Rob Renner, Minister of
a drop in Pacific Rim demand, hurt the Alberta Municipal Affairs traveled to
MEMBERSHIPS
state’s wood products sector. Juneau as part of the PNWER executive
officer’s tour.
Alberta and Alaska share membership in
a number of integral regional
September 2004: Officials from Alberta
FISHING organizations including:
International and Intergovernmental
o Council of State Governments- Relations attended the CSG – WEST
Alaska’s fishing and seafood industry is
West (CSG – WEST) Legislative Conference in Anchorage.
one of the state’s largest private
industry employers. In 2006, Alaska’s o The Northern Forum May 2004: Governor Murkowski led an
seafood exports totaled over $2 billion
Alaska delegation to Alberta for the
US, and accounted for half of the o Pacific NorthWest Economic Region
inaugural meeting of the Alaska-Alberta
state’s total exports. (PNWER)
Bilateral Council.
In the late 1990s, several factors, o Western Governor’s Association
Oct 2003: Governor Murkowski
including decreases in international fish o Sectoral bodies such as the Energy attended the Far North Oil and Gas
prices, hurt the seafood industry in Council and the Western Forum in Calgary.
Alaska. However, recent increases in Legislative Forestry Task Force.
price, driven mostly by increased Sept 2003: Premier Klein and Governor
demand in Southeast Asia, have helped Alaska and Alberta are both members of Murkowski met at Western Governors’
to reinvigorate this important sector of the Northern Forum, an international Meeting to discuss mutual priorities for
Alaska’s economy. organization comprised of 23 sub- the Alaska-Alberta Council.
national governments from Canada,
Alaska is restoring its once-depleted China, Russia, Japan, and Scandinavia. June 2002: Premier Klein’s mission to
salmon runs by employing a The Northern Forum is headquartered in Alaska.
“conservation-first” fisheries Anchorage.
management system. Aug 2001: State Senator John
Alaska hosted the CSG-West 2008 Torgerson and members of Alaska’s
In 2007, the salmon harvest was over annual meeting at which Alberta played Joint Committee on Natural Gas
212 million fish worth an estimated a major role in a session titled, The Pipelines visited Alberta.
value of $US 374,372,000, an 8% North America Summit with legislators
increase from 2006. from US and Mexico to discuss energy
and competitiveness issues.
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
POLITICS The US Consul General is Laura
Lochman.
Alaska has strong Republican
representation including Senator Ted RECENT VISITS The Canadian Consul General in Seattle
Stevens (Vice Chairman of the is Peter Lloyd.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and May 2008: The Mid-Year Conference of
Transportation and former Senate the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Canada opened a consulate in
President Pro Tempore), Senator Lisa Commission (IOGCC) is chaired by the Anchorage (a satellite of the Consulate
Murkowski (Member of Senate Energy Honorable Sarah Plain, Governor of General in Seattle) in August 2004,
and Natural Resources Committee and Alaska, in Calgary. headed by Consul Karen Matthias.
Foreign Relations Committee), and
Congressman Don Young (Ranking July 2007: Alberta sent a delegation to
Republican Member of the House Anchorage for the annual PNWER
Committee on Natural Resources). summit.
EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES April 2007: Ms. Drue Pearce, US Federal
Coordinator of Alaska Natural Gas
Forest products Transportation Projects visited Alberta.
Energy products March 2006: Premier Klein’s mission to
For more information, contact:
Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations
Phone: 780-422-1510 Fax: 780-427-0699
http://alberta.ca/home/Feedback.cfm
