{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/alberta-premier-smith-unlikely-to-create-crown-corporation-for-gas-pipelines","slug":"alberta-premier-smith-unlikely-to-create-crown-corporation-for-gas-pipelines","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/alberta-premier-smith-unlikely-to-create-crown-corporation-for-gas-pipelines","title":"Alberta Premier Smith unlikely to create Crown corporation for gas pipelines","subtitle":"Leaked report suggested new entities to boost transmission capacity for oil and AI data centres.","excerpt":"Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated it is unlikely her government will establish a new Crown corporation to build natural gas pipelines. This follows a leaked cabinet report that recommended such a move to address transmission bottlenecks and support the growth of AI data centres.","category":"Politics","area":null,"publishedAt":"2026-09-12T23:45:51.140Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-12T19:20:03.671Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-12T23:45:51.140Z","readTime":"5 min read","scores":{"trust":42,"critic":61,"hype":41,"notes":{"trust":"Central claims attributed to a leaked cabinet report, with two full reports and multiple digests corroborating.","critic":"Reporting is clear and holds together, with affected parties quoted or given a right of reply.","hype":"Headlines promise more than the body delivers, with mild emphasis and some loaded adjectives."}},"tags":["#AlbertaPolitics","#Energy","#Pipelines","#AIDataCentres","#CrownCorporations"],"entities":["Danielle Smith","TC Energy","Nova Gas Transmission Ltd.","Naheed Nenshi","Brian Jean"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said it is unlikely her government will create a Crown corporation to build natural gas pipelines.","A leaked report to Smith's cabinet recommended the province establish Crown corporations to increase natural gas transmission capacity.","The report estimated Crown corporations would cost between $53.9 million and $162.6 million, while new major pipelines could cost billions.","The report identified TC Energy's Nova Gas Transmission Ltd. system as being at full capacity until 2029, creating a bottleneck."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated on 12 September 2026 that her government is unlikely to create a new Crown corporation to build natural gas pipelines. Smith made the comments on her radio call-in program, \"Your Province Your Premier,\" saying that conversations about solutions for companies struggling to access natural gas are currently focused on the private sector."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Smith's remarks followed the leak of a report to her cabinet, which recommended the province create Crown corporations to spur the development of new natural gas transmission lines. The report suggested this was necessary to meet demand from oil production and artificial intelligence data centres. According to the report, Alberta risks losing data centre developers if a quick solution for natural gas supply is not secured."},{"type":"heading","text":"Cost estimates and infrastructure bottlenecks"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The leaked report estimated that establishing Crown corporations would cost between $53.9 million and $162.6 million. In contrast, building a new major natural gas pipeline could cost billions. The report identified Calgary-based TC Energy as a bottleneck, stating that its Nova Gas Transmission Ltd. system is expected to operate at full capacity until 2029, with limited expansion plans thereafter. TC Energy reportedly does not wish to invest in further capacity unless it can achieve investment returns similar to its projects in the United States."},{"type":"heading","text":"Potential impact on energy prices"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The report suggested that increased transmission capacity could lead to higher selling prices for Alberta's natural gas. While this could benefit government royalty revenue, it might also increase costs for consumers. Smith argued that increasing natural gas supply, rather than constraining it, is necessary to prevent Albertans' energy bills from rising. Opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi expressed concern that government intervention could lead to higher energy prices, a point the report also noted, stating that higher selling prices could mean Albertans pay more on their power bills."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the left-rated reports mentioned that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called TC Energy a \"monopoly.\" None of the centre-rated reports mentioned that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called TC Energy a \"monopoly.\" The right-rated report did not mention the estimated cost of the proposed Crown corporations or the specific capacity issues of TC Energy's Nova Gas Transmission Ltd. system."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"CTV News","url":"https://ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/albertas-smith-says-crown-corporation-for-natural-gas-unlikely-after-report-leaked","headline":"Alberta's Smith says Crown corporation for natural gas unlikely after report leaked","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-12T19:20:03.671Z"},{"sourceName":"CBC News","url":"https://cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-natural-gas-crown-corporation-smith-9.7341890","headline":"Premier Smith says Crown corporation for natural gas unlikely in Alberta after report leaked","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-12T19:13:46.184Z"},{"sourceName":"Calgary Journal Online","url":"https://calgaryjournal.ca/2026/09/12/albertas-smith-says-crown-corporation-for-natural-gas-unlikely-after-report-leaked","headline":"Alberta's Smith says Crown corporation for natural gas unlikely after report leaked","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-12T18:25:29.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Castanet","url":"https://castanet.net/news/Alberta/631072/Alberta-s-Smith-says-Crown-corporation-for-natural-gas-unlikely-after-report-leaked","headline":"Alberta's Smith says Crown corporation for natural gas unlikely after report leaked","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-12T17:45:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Winnipeg Free 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