NDP says Sask. government withholding carbon capture documents

Saskatchewan's official opposition is accusing the governmentof withholding documents related to the Boundary Dam carbon capture project.

SaskPower critic Cathy Sproule said Tuesday the government is stalling on answering a list of specific questions the Saskatchewan NDP wants answered about the project.

Sproule said she has put forward questions about executive travel expenses, the contract with Alberta-based Cenovus Energy and the business case for a carbon capture project out of Boundary Dam Unit 3.

"It started last fall when we discovered that we weren't being given accurate information about the performance of the plant and since then the government has promised several times to provide those answers, but they're stalling and we're getting very frustrated about that," Sproule said.

Sproule cited accountability issues, such as how in February of 2015, SaskPower executive Mike Monea said the carbon capture project was on target to meet its goal to capture one million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

However, the government never met that target.

By October, Mike March, president and CEO of SaskPower, said there were technical problems resulting in the facility running at just 40 per cent of its capacity.

"It's a big problem. Obviously this government is delaying and they're not being transparent and forthcoming with the information," Sproule said.

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Sproule is asking for the Sask. Party to reconvene the committee to answer questions before the provincial election in April.

"We haven't received any indication yet that we'll be able to do that before the writ is dropped," she said.

On Tuesday, the government responded saying a committee meeting date has not been confirmed, but said the meeting will be held before the election.

It said it's still gatheringthe information needed for the opposition's request.