I. INTRODUCTION
This has been a significant year for the practice of energy law
in Canada given challenging market conditions, along with changes
in government — federally and provincially in Alberta. The
mandate and policy preferences of these new governments led to the
introduction of new policies in 2015–2016, many of which are
still in development and have contributed additional uncertainty to
the energy industry during a time of unprecedented
challenges.1
Many of these new policies are still being refined and the full
impacts cannot yet be determined. On the oil and gas side, new
technologies coupled with increased North American production has
led to a reduced need for Canadian energy products in our
traditional markets, underscoring the need for Canada to ensure
access to new and diverse markets in a timely way. In Canada, major
energy projects, notably pipelines and LNG export facilities,
continue to languish in the regulatory processes and face new
