A Sneak Peek into Our World

Annual reports—almost every organization produces one. They generally contain the same information: what’s happened over the last 12 months, what’s the plan for the next 12 months, and how the balance sheet is looking.

The AER’s annual report contains this information, too, but we’ve presented it a little differently. With the look and feel of a magazine rather than a corporate document, the 2015/16 Annual Report is one tool we use to give Albertans a glimpse into the AER’s work and to report on the progress of our strategic plan.

Here are five things to know before you wade into our annual report.

1. Something for everyone. Some people really love diving into a book, but reading an annual report from cover to cover isn’t for everyone. So we’ve mixed it up this year by launching an interactive website that reports on our work over the last year through a variety of articles, photos, and graphics that tell stories through images, numbers, and videos that feature the experts who make it all happen. People can also choose to read the report in its full form or in an executive summary.
2. Excellent! The AER wants to achieve excellence in all we do, be it protecting the public and the environment, engaging our stakeholders, or crafting regulatory requirements. The report tells the story of how we took the notion of regulatory excellence and worked with Albertans to turn it into a model that fits our province.
3. We’ve got a plan. It’s hard to get where you’re going if you don’t map out a route. The annual report features the AER’s new 2016/19 strategic plan with specific outcomes, measures, and targets that help us plot our course toward our goal of being an excellent regulator. We also provide an update on how we did in meeting the targets from our previous plan.
4. Not your father’s regulator. Read through the pages and you’ll note that times are changing. The AER has begun the shift to a new regulatory approach that considers the evolving technologies that companies use to develop Alberta’s energy resources, the cumulative effects these developments have on the landscape over time, and the unique needs of the communities where development occurs.
5. A whole lot of expertise. Regulating one of the world’s largest and most complex energy industries doesn’t just happen. We tell our story through the lens of the hundreds of experts we employ who ensure the AER regulates in a way that is protective, effective, efficient, and credible.

Cassie Naas, Writer