CALGARY - Canada is strengthening its position as a world leader in clean energy technologies through an innovative partnership with the private sector. The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, today announced that the Government of Canada will fund eight proposals for the development and demonstration of carbon capture and storage technologies through the ecoENERGY Technology initiative.

"Canada's tremendous reserves of energy will remain an important source of economic strength for a long time to come," said Minister Raitt. "The major challenge we face today comes from identifying and implementing cleaner ways to produce and consume that energy. Our Government's support for the development of these innovative and promising technologies is just one of a number of important steps we're taking toward building a greener and more sustainable energy economy."

Successful proposals were submitted by partnerships led or co-led by ARC Resources, Enhance Energy, Spectra Energy Transmission, TransCanada, TransAlta, Husky, Enbridge and EPCOR. Minister Raitt met with the CEOs of each of these companies today along with representatives from the B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan governments to establish a network that will share research and expertise in developing and demonstrating carbon capture and storage technologies.

Canada's Economic Action Plan includes new measures totalling almost $2.4 billion to support a cleaner and more sustainable environment and help meet Canada's climate change objectives.

• ecoENERGY Technology Initiative Call for Proposals - Backgrounder
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