On May 5, APRA welcomed 35 members and partners from across Alberta’s plastics value chain for an exclusive tour through in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland – one of Canada’s most significant energy and petrochemical hubs.
Spanning 582 square kilometres and home to more than 40 companies and over $50 billion in investment, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association continues to play a critical role in producing fuels, fertilizers, hydrogen, power, and petrochemicals that support markets around the world. But beyond its scale, the region is also becoming a leading example of how industry is evolving to meet the future of sustainability, innovation, and circularity.
Throughout the day, members had the opportunity to see firsthand how major industry leaders are investing in the next generation of plastics manufacturing and emissions reduction technologies.
One highlight of the tour was Dow’s Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project – a transformative brownfield expansion and retrofit expected to become one of the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives facilities. Once complete, the project is anticipated to decarbonize approximately 20 percent of Dow’s global ethylene capacity while increasing polyethylene supply by roughly 15 percent and tripling production capacity at the site. The facility is expected to produce approximately 3.2 million metric tonnes of certified low- to zero-carbon polyethylene and ethylene derivatives annually, supporting global brands in reducing the carbon footprint of their products.
Members also toured Inter Pipeline’s Heartland Petrochemical Complex, a facility intentionally designed with sustainability and efficiency at its core. The complex captures hydrogen and other by-products for use as fuel within the facility, repurposes residual heat from gas turbines to generate steam for operations, and uses air cooling technology in place of water cooling – helping save approximately 1.5 million cubic metres of make-up water each year. In addition to advancing sustainability goals, the facility continues to create value-added manufacturing opportunities and skilled jobs here in Alberta.
The tour provided APRA members with a unique opportunity to connect across the value chain, gain insight into the scale of investment happening in Alberta, and explore the innovation shaping the future of plastics, manufacturing, and circular economy initiatives in the province.
A sincere thank you to our hosts, partners, and all attendees who joined us for an insightful and collaborative day in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland.
