Towards common ground: Barriers and enablers to low-carbon transitions in oil and gas-producing municipalities of British Columbia and Alberta

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dc.contributor.authorHargreaves, Rowan
dc.contributor.supervisorRhodes, Katya
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-19T20:55:27Z
dc.date.available2025-11-19T20:55:27Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.degree.departmentSchool of Public Administration
dc.degree.levelMaster of Public Administration MPA
dc.description.abstractOil and gas-producing municipalities host Canada’s highest emitting sector and face significant economic risks in the low-carbon transition. Understanding how these communities envision their economic futures, and the barriers and enablers they encounter in pursuing low-carbon opportunities, can inform decision-makers seeking both emissions reductions and more resilient local economies. This study engages municipal staff with expertise in economic development from oil and gas communities in British Columbia and Alberta to capture their perspectives on transition pathways. Findings demonstrate that these municipalities are actively exploring economic diversification that includes low-carbon opportunities, but face substantial barriers, including the absence of a coherent transition vision, perceptions of being broad‑brushed in policy decisions, limited capacity and funding, gaps in expertise, and delays in the regulatory process for new energy projects. Addressing these challenges through place-based industrial development strategies and targeted policy supports would better position federal and provincial governments to support local transitions in communities most affected by energy system change.
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduate
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/22922
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Web
dc.subjectLow-carbon transition
dc.subjectMunicipal governance
dc.subjectJust transition
dc.subjectOil and gas
dc.subjectEconomic development
dc.subjectPolicy
dc.titleTowards common ground: Barriers and enablers to low-carbon transitions in oil and gas-producing municipalities of British Columbia and Alberta
dc.typeThesis

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