Oilfield service rigs will spend less time stopped beside the highway, thanks to what the Alberta government classifies as a new reduction in red tape.
An agreement announced today preclears qualifying rigs and their convoys as safety compliant for transport. Until now, the processions of trucks and equipment were required to stop at every Alberta vehicle inspection station along their routes.
“This change is about common sense,” Devin Dreeshen, the minister of transportation and economic corridors, says in a news release posted today.
“It cuts red tape, keeps our rigs moving and lets the energy service sector focus on what they do best — driving growth, creating jobs and supporting responsible energy development across Alberta.”
Under a rating system of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the province leads Canada in red tape reduction with a score of 9.5 out of 10 in its 2025 report card. The province also topped the report card in 2024 with a 9.4 rating.
The news release portrays the agreement as a model for potential alignment with Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Interprovincial trade and the harmonization of regulations have become frequent talking points across the country as Canada adjusts to a changing economic climate brought on by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
IBISWorld, a global market research firm, estimates the market size of oil and gas services in Alberta at an annualized $33.8 billion in revenue. The industry employs more than 50,000 people at more than 9,600 businesses.
The memorandum of agreement is between Alberta Transportation and Corridors and a trade association representing companies affected by the change, the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors.
Mark A. Scholz, the president and CEO of the association, says in the release that the government “listens to our needs and demonstrates a truly action-oriented approach, strengthening Alberta’s energy sector and supporting our hardworking crews every step of the way.”
The agreement makes use of a private company’s preclearance program that allows commercial vehicles with strong safety records to bypass inspection stations.
Scholz called the move “a great example of a government showing strong leadership by reducing red tape and creating efficiencies wherever possible.”
Said Energy Minister Brian Jean in the release: "Alberta's priority is to get our reserves out of the ground sooner, to drive royalties, taxes, jobs and wealth creation. This change will help us get there without endangering the safety of Albertans in responsible resource development."
