Closing the Gap: The Impact of Oil and Gas Regulations on Producing First Nations  

Dr. Laurel Wheeler, Assistant Professor
Department of Economics
University of Alberta

Date: Thursday, November 25, 2021
Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm MST
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https://ualberta-ca.zoom.us/j/93841403116?pwd=Qk4zQkdHU0psbjZ2ZlM0bWtmTzE5QT09
Meeting ID: 938 4140 3116
Passcode: 181278

Abstract

This project examines how regulations affect productivity and environmental outcomes. In Canada, oil and gas production on First Nations land is federally regulated while production elsewhere is provincially regulated. The rules governing production on First Nations land remained effectively the same from their enactment in 1974 until 2019, while provincial rules have been continually updated to reflect industry and technological developments. Using longitudinal data on oil and gas well production and environmental incidents, we will compare the implications of two regulatory regimes within Alberta. We will exploit spatial and temporal variation in regulations to estimate impacts on productivity and the environment, focusing on the outcomes of interest revealed through discussions with field experts. Our results will shed light on some of the ways in which First Nations have been impacted by federal control over energy projects.