Albertans invited to give feedback on royalty review

The Alberta government is inviting the public to have its say on the recent royalty review that has recommended hiking the rate charged to oil and gas companies.

"While the formal consultation is over, we have not stopped listening," Premier Ed Stelmach said in a news release Tuesday. "We want to make sure that people who have comments send them to the right place so we can consider this input as part of the review process."

The province is accepting public reaction on its website and by phone.

A government-appointed panel released a report last week that said Albertans are not getting their fair share of energy revenues and recommended raising royalty rates by 20 per cent, or $2 billion a year.

Oil and gas companies lashed out at the suggestion, saying an increase would hurt the province's investment and growth potential.

Minister's task'laughable': NDP

Stelmach also announced Tuesday that Deputy Premier Ron Stevens will be in charge of consulting with the industry, and that Energy Minister Mel Knight will lead a technical analysis of the report.

Brian Mason, leader of the Alberta NDP, called Knight's new responsibility "laughable," pointing out that the royalty review detailed the inability of the energy ministry to collect proper information about royalties.

"That would be hilarious if it weren't so sad that the Energy Department doesn't even know whether or not they're receiving what they're entitled to under the current royalty regime," Mason said.

"To have the minister of energy then providing technical support is laughable, because I think the report showed his department up in a very big way."

The premier has promised an official government response by the end of October.