What is Energy Resources Conservation Board mean? The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) was an independent, quasi-judicial agency of the Government of Alberta. It regulated the safe, responsible, and efficient development of Alberta's energy resources: oil, natural gas, oil sands, coal, and pipelines. Led by eight Board members, the ERCB's team of engineers, geologists, technicians, economists, and other professionals served Albertans from thirteen locations across the province.
The ERCB's mission was to ensure that the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta's energy resources took place in a manner that was fair, responsible and in the public interest.
The ERCB adjudicated and regulated matters related to energy within Alberta to ensure that the development, transportation, and monitoring of the province's energy resources were in the public interest. The Board provided this assurance of the public interest through its activities in the application and hearing process, regulation, monitoring, and surveillance and enforcement.
The information and knowledge responsibility of the Board included the collection, storage, analysis, appraisal, dissemination and stakeholder awareness of information. Open access to information developed awareness, understanding and responsible behavior and allowed the Board and stakeholders to make informed decisions about energy and utility matters. This responsibility would result in the Board discharging its advisory role with respect to matters under the jurisdiction of the Board.
The Government of Alberta owns about 80% of the province's mineral rights, such as oil, natural gas, coal, and the oil sands. In other words, most resources are owned by the people of Alberta through their government. While private companies can develop these resources, the ERCB was authorized by the government to protect the public's interest relating to the discovery, development, and delivery of these resources. Regulation was needed so that non-renewable resources were produced in a safe, responsible, and efficient manner, without waste.
The ERCB also ensured that everyone affected by development had a chance to be heard. When conflicts regarding development remained unresolved between companies and landowners, the ERCB worked to settle the issues in a fair and balanced manner.
In 1996, the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) joined the ERCB. AGS assisted the ERCB by providing data, information, knowledge and advice about the geology of Alberta.
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