The Government of Alberta announced new appointments to the AER board of directors
April 26, 2024
Details of the appointments can be found on the GOA website.
“I’d like to thank the outgoing board members, Jude Daniels, Tracey McCrimmon, and Georgette Habib, for their dedicated service over the past four years. I look forward to working with the new board chair and board members on an orderly transition, in advance of the end of my term on September 1,” said David Goldie, outgoing board chair.
“I have appreciated the expertise and support of the outgoing board members and I look forward to working with the new board,” said Laurie Pushor, president and CEO of the AER.
Bios of the new board chair and directors, as well as details on the appointments, can be found on the GOA website.
AER Board Chair David Goldie Announces Resignation
April 9, 2024
AER Board Chair David Goldie announced that he will resign as Chair, and Board Member of the AER, effective September 1, 2024. Mr. Goldie will continue to be involved with the Board until September and will assist the organization with transition to new Board leadership.
“As I approach the 5-year mark with the AER Board, I’m very pleased with where the AER is today particularly as it relates to the organization’s professionalism, culture and engagement of staff, and its efficiency,” says Mr. Goldie. “And this is why I’ve decided it would be a good time to move on to some new challenges. I feel satisfied with where the organization is today and that it is on a good path forward.”
Mr. Goldie joined the interim Board in September 2019, when the Board was given the mandate to reform the AER’s governance, streamline its organization and make it more efficient.
“I am proud to say that these goals have been accomplished,” added Mr. Goldie. “It has been a great honour and a privilege for me to serve on the AER Board and I offer the AER and its employees best wishes for continued success in the future.”
The recruitment of a successor will be forthcoming and in accordance with the Responsible Energy Development Act, S.A. 2012, Chapter R-17.3. Details on the Act and process can be found here.
AER Board receives Deloitte Canada’s Reports on the Kearl Incidents
Following seepage and spill incidents at Imperial’s Kearl oilsands facility in May 2022 and February 2023, the Alberta Energy Regulator’s Board of Directors (AER Board) commissioned an independent review of the AER’s internal processes and response.
After a thorough RFP process, the Board chose Deloitte LLP (Deloitte) to review and make recommendations on the AER’s policies, standards, procedures and communication processes for emergency response, investigation, incident reporting, and communications, including the timing and frequency of communications to Indigenous communities and stakeholders in and around the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo during the two Kearl seepage and spill incidents.
On Sept. 27, 2023, the AER Board accepted the final report from Deloitte, agreeing with its key findings and recommendations for improvement.
“Deloitte’s report confirms that the AER followed existing policies, standards, procedures or processes in response to the Kearl incidents," said AER Board Chair David Goldie. "Protecting public safety and the environment was paramount in our peoples' actions.”
“However, Deloitte also provided recommendations for several improvements to AER's incident and emergency management system to bring it into line with leading practices and heightened expectations. A key recommendation was for the AER to collaborate with Indigenous communities and key stakeholders to develop specific notification and communication protocols, processes and procedures tailored to meet their needs,” Goldie added.
The Board has accepted and agrees with the report’s findings, recommendations and conclusions and has directed AER management to develop a detailed action plan to address Deloitte’s recommendations in a timely manner, including the recommendation that the risk assessment, incident escalation and Board communication processes be improved.
“The Board is committed to ensuring the AER moves swiftly to address Deloitte's operational and communication recommendations. I have asked AER Management to develop an operational implementation plan,” Goldie stated. “Doing so will ensure that the AER is more prepared and capable as a regulator and will help to ensure we better meet expectations of Indigenous communities and key stakeholders.”
The complete Deloitte reports and supporting materials are publicly available.
May 16, 2023 - AER Board Chair, David Goldie, Provides Kearl Review Update
On May 11th, following a rigorous RFP process, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)'s Audit and Finance Committee, on behalf of the Board of Directors, engaged Deloitte LLP to conduct an independent review of the AER’s actions in handling the Imperial Oil Kearl seepage and spill incidents.
The review will begin in May and take about 90 days to complete. Deloitte will examine AER’s current response and notification policies and procedures, including internal and external communications protocols, to determine any issues or gaps in AER’s actions in handling the Kearl seepage and spill and, if so, provide recommendations for improvement.
In the spirit of openness, honesty and transparency, the Board will publicly share the review’s findings once completed and the Board has considered the recommendations and follow-up actions.
March 31, 2023 - AER Board Review of Kearl Incident
The AER board is commissioning an impartial, third-party review into certain aspects of how the AER has handled the response to incidents at Imperial Oil’s Kearl facilities between May 2022 and February 2023.
Read the March 28 Announcement for more details.
Access the Request for Proposal. The request notice is posted on the Alberta Purchasing Connection website.
Send inquiries to board.review@aer.ca.
