Alberta was at the forefront of renewable energy development in Canada, so it came as a surprise when Premier Danielle Smith announced a moratorium in 2023 on the approval of new projects. Predictably, the mainstream media reported on the impact. Drew Anderson broke away from the pack.

In the spirit of The Narwhal’s mission to dig deeper into environmental stories, Anderson focused instead on what led to the decision. And he unearthed a political landmine.

He set out to verify the government’s claim that independent provincial agencies had proposed the controversial idea of a moratorium. Anderson filed a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO). The documents that landed on his desk had been heavily redacted. To fill in the blanks, he filed additional FOI requests.

Anderson has been covering the Alberta energy industry for years, but even he was surprised by what he discovered. In early 2024, he learned that not only was the Premier’s assertion false—that Alberta agencies had suggested the moratorium—but internal correspondence showed the head of the AESO was downright opposed to the idea and predicted it would send the industry into a tailspin: “If we make ourselves unwelcoming, investment will just go elsewhere.” Nevertheless, the CEO faced “pressure to support the minister without reservation.” In response to the government’s request to make false statements, senior agency officials asserted, “We will not lie.”

As usual, the Alberta government would not respond to The Narwhal’s interview requests, but through his determined and detailed reporting, Anderson was holding the government to account. As soon as his first story broke in May, other journalists peppered the premier with questions. The CBC, the Calgary Herald, CTV, The Globe and Mail, and numerous other outlets cited The Narwhal’s work, and the Opposition energy critic referred to Anderson’s stories in Question Period, demanding that the government defend its actions.

Political scientist Lori Williams of Mount Royal University in Calgary said Anderson’s investigation was evidence that agencies that are supposed to be independent, were being subjected to pressure, with the government “insisting they produce something completely compatible with what the government has already planned. In other words, making the decision first and then putting pressure on experts to support the decision that they actually disagree with.”

After the publication of Anderson’s stories, official government statements directly contradicted what had been revealed in internal communications with provincial agencies. The Narwhal sent interview requests and later emailed questions to the premier and the minister responsible for utilities, asking for clarification. There was no response. Similarly, AESO refused to answer questions. A spokesperson replied that they had “no further comment on this matter.” About two months later, the president of the AESO resigned without explanation, and was replaced by a government-appointed board member.

Clearly shaken by Anderson’s revelations, in December, Danielle Smith’s government announced a bill to change Alberta’s FOI legislation. When it is passed, the law will allow even greater censorship and suppression of government documents, emails, and internal reports. The Narwhal and Alberta’s Privacy Commissioner are fighting the proposed legislation.