Lobbying Activity

Suncor is an active participant in the public policy process. We regularly communicate with governments in the jurisdictions where we operate. As part of this communication, Suncor materially complies with all lobbying regulations and reports government interactions, where applicable.

Issue: Royalties and Taxes

Policy Direction: Royalties and taxes should deliver a fair return to government while providing industry with a competitive, stable and predictable fiscal framework on which to base long-term investment decisions. Policies should recognize market factors, such as the challenges faced by corporations competing in a global economy.

Issue: Climate Change

Policy Direction: Emissions trading and other carbon pricing mechanisms are useful tools for achieving low cost greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. Climate change policy must also accelerate the pace of development and deployment of new technologies that will transform the production and use of energy. Cap and trade policies will not accomplish this alone. Complementary policies and measures are needed that will attract additional capital over the near-to-long term. Government fiscal and policy support is crucial in the successful, wide-spread deployment of GHG reduction technologies, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage.

Low Carbon Fuel Standard policies are generally designed to lower the GHG intensity of fuel supplies used in the transportation sector. Suncor is concerned that these proposed standards are unnecessarily complex and may not result in real and meaningful GHG reductions. Instead, Suncor advocates for a Renewable Fuel Standard that promotes progressively higher volumes of biofuels, combined with a low carbon transportation framework that addresses the full life cycle of GHGs produced in the transportation sector, including vehicle fuel efficiency standards and reducing vehicle kilometres travelled.

Issue: Local Community Capacity

Policy Direction: Suncor, in cooperation with industry partners and local business associations, has been working with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to better forecast future population growth and infrastructure needs. Building non-profit capacity and supporting key community initiatives - such as the MacDonald Island Park expansion - continues to be an important component of Suncor's work in the region.

Issue: Oil Sands and the Environment

Policy Direction: Policy should contemplate the cumulative impacts of development and balance economic, social, and environmental factors. Suncor seeks to actively educate our stakeholders about oil sands development. We encourage and engage in public discussions on oil sands environmental issues and wider energy policy. Suncor also participates in a number of multistakeholder groups that provide input to government on environmental policies related to development.

Issue: Renewable Energy

Policy Direction: Government policy needs to take into account factors that influence the development of renewable energy resources, such as providing a stable, predictable market for investment, an appropriate regulatory application process and ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place to support this development.