Goldie says he's satisfied with where the regulator is now
The board chair of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) is stepping down from his post later this year.
David Goldie’s resignation will take effect on Sept. 1, 2024.
Goldie says it's a good time to take on new challenges as he approaches the five-year mark at the watchdog agency, according to a report from The Canadian Press published on the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
After joining the AER in 2019, when the board was given the mandate to reform the organization's governance and make it more streamlined, Goldie says he's satisfied with where the regulator is now. He’s still positive about the regulator’s part forward.
“David has been a very strong and capable support in helping guide us through the past four-plus years,” said Laurie Pushor, AER president and CEO.
“On a personal note, David has been great to work for and with – always with wise counsel, grace, and positive reinforcement. We will miss his leadership and we look forward to working with him until September.”
Report criticizes AER
However, the AER has been criticized for how it informed the public and local First Nations about the release of millions of litres of oilsands wastewater from Imperial Oil's Kearl mine in northern Alberta in 2022, according to The Canadian Press report.
A third-party report the agency commissioned determined the regulator followed its rules, but that those rules were significantly lacking, according to The Canadian Press.
Following the release of the third-party report in September 2023, Goldie said the Kearl situation was unusual because: It wasn't an emergency like a sudden pipeline break, but a seepage that happened over time.
He promised the regulator would be more proactive in the future about communicating with area residents.
"The bar has to move here," he said.
"A much larger range of incidents need to be reported. It's not good enough anymore to say the operator is responsible and assume they've fulfilled their duty."
