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The latest news, editorials, and conversations shaping Alberta’s business environment.

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The Coutts border crossing on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. Photo by Darren Makowichuk /Postmedia

Opinion: How Alberta’s small businesses can navigate U.S. tariffs

The recent one-month suspension of a 25-per-cent tariff by the United States on most Canadian imports has thrown many Alberta small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into a state of uncertainty. While the intent behind these tariffs seems to be to not only protect American jobs and industries by taxing goods consumed within the U.S., but also to motivate action on border issues such as illegal migration and the movement of the deadly drug fentanyl, the ripple effects are being felt keenly north of the border.
The recent one-month suspension of a 25-per-cent tariff by the United States on most Canadian imports has thrown many Alberta small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into a state of uncertainty. While the intent behind these tariffs seems to be to not only protect American jobs and industries by taxing goods consumed within the U.S., but also to motivate action on border issues such as illegal migration and the movement of the deadly drug fentanyl, the ripple effects are being felt keenly north of the border.

Are Worms the Future of Regenerative Agriculture?

Our friend Michael Launer is an Albertan and a strong advocate for green technologies. He and his partners founded Annelida in 2018, an innovative ag-tech company that is positioned to disrupt conventional thinking in the agriculture sector. They have looked at the wider issues of conventional fertilizer use and its impacts on soil biology for producers. Without natural replenishment of microbiology back into the ground, the use of traditional fertilizers leads to depletion and degradation of the soil over time. Their team took on this challenge and is producing enhanced nutrient efficiency formulas – modern and effective regenerative ag solutions derived directly from nature.
Our friend Michael Launer is an Albertan and a strong advocate for green technologies. He and his partners founded Annelida in 2018, an innovative ag-tech company that is positioned to disrupt conventional thinking in the agriculture sector. They have looked at the wider issues of conventional fertilizer use and its impacts on soil biology for producers. Without natural replenishment of microbiology back into the ground, the use of traditional fertilizers leads to depletion and degradation of the soil over time. Their team took on this challenge and is producing enhanced nutrient efficiency formulas – modern and effective regenerative ag solutions derived directly from nature.

The AEG podcast, Episode 4: Scaling Up Innovation in Alberta: Navigating Barriers and Sharing Lessons with the World

This podcast discusses the work of ERA, an organization in Alberta that invests in technology and innovation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. Justin mentions the benefits of their investments and highlights some of their funded projects, such as the hydrogen train and hydrogen semi-trucks. He also mentions the challenges of scaling up technology, including the lack of risk-taking capital and the importance of having a good business model and company management acumen. Justin emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences, both successes and failures, and mentions the efforts in environmental sustainability being made in Alberta. He also mentions the difficulty of finding help for innovators but encourages them to persevere and seek help from various sources.
This podcast discusses the work of ERA, an organization in Alberta that invests in technology and innovation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. Justin mentions the benefits of their investments and highlights some of their funded projects, such as the hydrogen train and hydrogen semi-trucks. He also mentions the challenges of scaling up technology, including the lack of risk-taking capital and the importance of having a good business model and company management acumen. Justin emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences, both successes and failures, and mentions the efforts in environmental sustainability being made in Alberta. He also mentions the difficulty of finding help for innovators but encourages them to persevere and seek help from various sources.