Canadian Natural Resources first-quarter profit more than doubles

STILL ASKING FOR TAXPAYER HANDOUTS FOR CARBON CAPTURE

CALGARY — Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s profits more than doubled from a year ago in the first quarter, as surging oil prices pushed the Calgary-based energy company closer to reaching its debt reduction target.

On Thursday, CNRL said it earned $3.1 billion or $2.63 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, up from $1.38 billion or $1.16 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.

With the war in Ukraine pushing oil prices to heights not seen in years, CNRL said it now expects its net debt level to fall below $8 billion in late 2022 or early 2023. The company's net debt sat at $13.8 billion at the end of the first quarter.

"It obviously depends on your forecast for pricing and lots of other factors that impact the ability to pay down the debt, but we are looking at significant free cash flow through the year," said chief financial officer Mark Stainthorpe on a conference call with analysts Thursday. "I would suggest sometime later this year or early next year."

CNRL's board has set $8 billion as a "base level" of corporate debt. Once that level is reached, additional free cash flow will be allocated as incremental returns to shareholders, the company says.

CNRL — which is now Canada's largest oil and gas company by market capitalization — paid out approximately $1.8 billion in shareholders in the first quarter of 2022, including $700 million in dividends and $1.1 billion in share repurchases.

"Of note, while we thought it could have been a possibility, the company did not raise its dividend for a third quarter in a row," said Eight Capital analyst Phil Skolnick in a research note.

Last year, CNRL indicated that to the extent its net debt is below $15 billion, such an amount would be made available for strategic growth and acquisition opportunities.

In the first quarter, the company completed a number of acquisitions, including the remaining 50 per cent interest in the Pike lands in the Jackfish and Kirby areas in northern Alberta, and the liquids-rich Montney lands in the Wembley area of northern Alberta.

On the call, CNRL president Tim McKay said the company intends to be disciplined when it comes to pursuing any future acquisitions.

"Up to this point, acquisitions have always been a part of our strategy," McKay said. "However, we have no gaps in our portfolio and acquisitions need to make sense and add long-term value."

CNRL reported product sales in the quarter of $12.13 billion, up from $7.02 billion in the first quarter of 2021.

Daily production, before royalties, averaged 1.28 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in the quarter, up from 1.25 million in the same quarter last year.

Adjusted net earnings from operations amounted to $2.86 per diluted share, up from $1.03 per diluted share in the first three months of 2021.

Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $2.54 per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

CNRL shares were trading at $80.81 on the Toronto Stock Exchange at midday Thursday, down $2.81 or 3.4 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2022.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNQ)

Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press

Developer of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors looking at Chalk River site


Pembroke – A developer of small modular reactors is looking at opening a demonstration centre at Chalk River with an innovative product capable of powering about 5,000 homes in remote locations.

“They are one of our first and largest new investors to the county,” Director of Development and Property Craig Kelley said at Renfrew County council last Wednesday. “They are planning to design, develop and build their micro modular reactor (MMR) project at Chalk River Laboratories.”

Global First Power made a virtual presentation to the assembled mayors and reeves about the planned MMR project, including drawings of where the on-site demonstration model would be built and outlined the next steps as they seek approvals for the project. The company is a partnership of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation of Seattle, Washington.

“They are the first company to develop and construct a small modular reactor in North America,” Mr. Kelley noted.

Global First Power Managing Director Yos Diening explained the MMR demonstration project at the Chalk River Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) site would supply 15 megawatts of heat energy which is approximately five MW of electricity.

“These are designed for off grid locations,” he said.

The project includes an MMR and adjacent plant. The lifespan of the demonstration site is about 20 years, he noted. It will be decommissioned then and the site restored to its original configuration. At present they have applied to the Canadian Nuclear Commission for a license and once approvals are completed will be moving forward with next steps leading to construction.

“This is clean nuclear energy,” he said.

The small modular reactors could be used in remote communities and would make it easier to heat homes and run the community, he explained. It could also be for mining communities up north or First Nations communities. The modules are also scalable depending on need.

The demonstration unit will be constructed and tested off site and assembled at Chalk River. It also has a small footprint of less than the size of two Olympic running tracks.

“Our MMR unit could replace up to 200 million litres of diesel,” he said.

The reactor uses salt to carry the heat in and out. The salt stays in a closed loop.

“The reactor only supplies the heat that is demanded,” he added.

Mr. Diening said the proposed site for the demonstration plant is at a parking lot at Chalk River. It has the least impact on the site of the different locations considered since no trees need to be removed, he said.

Each stage of site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and release from licensing requires authorization through the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

He noted the site work would likely be done in 2024 and the operation would commence between 2026 and 2027.

Renfrew Reeve Peter Emon said it is good to see the activity at Chalk River.

“It is nice to see additional investment and additional utilization of that site,” he said.

Mayor Jed Reinwald of Laurentian Hills, where Chalk River is located, questioned the 20-year lifespan and what could happen after that. “Can they be refueled or disposed of?” he asked.

Mr. Diening said there are no plans to refuel the reactor, but this could be considered in the future. If it was refueled it may or may not be done on-site, he said.

“This will be a demonstration site,” he said.

He stressed the plants also cannot be refueled while they are in operation.

Warden Debbie Robinson said it is very nice to have the presentation on what is being planned.

“I’m certainly intrigued by the fact it is going to be a training site as well,” she said.

This will give people a chance to see what is happening at Chalk River, she noted.

Debbi Christinck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eganville Leader

Microsoft opens new Toronto headquarters, doubles down on its investment in Canada

MobileSyrup - Tuesday

Microsoft has officially opened its new headquarters in Canada, located in the heart of Toronto, Ontario.

Microsoft’s new headquarters is a 132,000-square-foot state-of-the-art office. It’s located at 81 Bay Street within the CIBC Square office complex. Toronto Mayor John Tory joins the company in celebrating the opening. Microsoft incorporates designs to “engage with the community and support Microsoft’s inclusive hybrid culture.” It has a Team Based Space that pairs innovative technology with collaborative workplaces, empowering employees.

“With the launch of our new headquarters, official opening of our Data Innovation Centre of Excellence and expansion of our regional presence, even more organizations of all sizes and sectors can leverage the power of cloud and data to accelerate their organization’s growth and drive new economic opportunity for Canada,” said Kevin Peesker, the president of Microsoft Canada, in a statement.

The Microsoft headquarters hosts an Envisioning Centre and the first-of-its-kind Data Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE). The company explains that it enables company experts to co-innovate with clients and partners on “cutting edge data, AI and mixed reality technology solutions.” The new headquarters plays a substantial role in assisting local startups, students, and community organizations within the GTA and across Canada.

The opening of the new headquarters coincides with the release of EY’s research on Microsoft’s impact on the Canadian economy. The research states that Microsoft and its ecosystem contribute more than $37 billion to Canada’s GPD. Microsoft’s ecosystem includes more than 15,000 partners and nearly 300,000 Canadian jobs. Microsoft also supports 30 projects, valued at $190 million.

Microsoft’s impact on Canadian innovation and industry growth has been persistent. Over the past three years, Microsoft has doubled its Canadian workforce and employs 5,000 full-time staff members across the country.

In 2021, Microsoft donated more than $125 million in cash, software, and technology services to non-profits.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: Microsoft Canada

Musk secures over $7 billion funding from investors including Larry Ellison

(Reuters) -Elon Musk has secured $7.14 billion in funding from a group of investors that includes Oracle Corp co-founder Larry Ellison and Sequoia Capital to fund his $44 billion takeover of Twitter Inc, according to a filing on Thursday.

Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who had initially opposed the buyout, also agreed to roll his $1.89 billion stake into the deal rather than cashing out, the filing https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000110465922056055/tm2214608-1_sc13da.htm showed.


Illustration shows Elon Musk's Twitter profile on smartphone and printed Twitter logos

The move comes as Musk's margin loan was reduced to $6.25 billion from $12.5 billion announced earlier, according to the filing.

Musk's $21 billion financing commitment was also revised to $27.25 billion.

Musk will continue to hold talks with existing shareholders of Twitter, including the company's former chief Jack Dorsey, to contribute shares to the proposed acquisition, the filing showed.

Qatar Holding and Dubai-based Vy Capital, also an investor in Musk's other venture The Boring Company, are also part of the investor group.

Reuters last week reported Musk was in talks with large investment firms and high net-worth individuals about taking on more financing for his Twitter acquisition and tying up less of his wealth in the deal.

Larry Ellison, a board member at Tesla and a self-described close friend of Elon Musk has committed $1 billion for the funding.

Twitter's shares were up about 2.9% at $50.5 before the bell, still below Musk's offer of $54.20.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)

Wrangle over EU carbon market revamp threatens climate targets

By Kate Abnett - Yesterday 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Officials and lawmakers negotiating an overhaul of the EU carbon market are struggling to reach a compromise over plans to levy CO2 costs on suppliers of polluting fuels, potentially putting the bloc's climate change targets at risk.

Launched in 2005, the emissions trading system (ETS) is the European Union's main tool for cutting greenhouse gases, which it does by forcing power plants and factories to buy CO2 permits when they pollute and capping the supply of permits.

The scheme has slashed emissions in those sectors by 43% since its launch, but is facing a revamp as the EU strives to hit a target of a 55% cut in net emissions from 1990 levels by 2030.

"There's no room for watering down," said European Parliament negotiator Jytte Guteland. "We need to preserve the ambition to make sure we obey the climate law," she added, referring to the legally-binding climate targets.

Diplomats and lawmakers are each divided, in particular over plans to launch a new ETS in 2026 that would impose CO2 costs on suppliers of fuels used in vehicles and to heat homes.

The revamp, proposed by the European Commission last year, is seen as critical because transport emissions are rising, and most buildings in Europe are heated by fossil fuels, churning out roughly a third of total EU emissions.

But it has faced fierce opposition from some member states, which - with an eye on gas prices soaring to record levels - fear it would raise energy bills further and hurt poorer citizens.

Such concerns led countries to this week consider compromises, including delaying the extension of the ETS to 2027 or 2028, or gradually phasing in the CO2 costs.

That could mean the EU misses it climate targets because, according to a Commission note seen by Reuters, the new ETS would deliver 45% of the extra CO2 cuts needed from those sectors to hit the 2030 goal.

Scrapping the EU proposal would mean replacing it with far tougher national policies, and the investments to match, the Commission said.

SOCIAL FUND

Negotiators said they expect the new ETS will ultimately go ahead, if policymakers can agree on measures to compensate households for potential costs.

The Commission has proposed that billions of euros of proceeds from the scheme are redirected into a fund to help citizens pay bills, subsidise electric cars and energy-saving home renovations.

Parliament's lead negotiator, Peter Liese, said the lawmakers' position was that the fund should be launched before the new ETS, which would require the 27-country bloc's budget to pay into it.

Some EU countries want to avoid that route because changes to the budget need unanimous approval from all member states.

Negotiators are also tackling a long list of issues concerning the existing ETS, which is being redesigned to cut emissions faster, cut free CO2 permits for industry and add shipping to the scheme.

To get a law in place this year, the European Parliament and EU countries will have to agree on positions in coming weeks to give themselves time to negotiate the final rules.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by John Chalmers and John Stonestreet)

BERNIE OPPOSES SOCIALISM FOR THE RICH

Bernie Sanders' Plan to Cut NASA's $10bn Second Lunar Lander Crushed

Ed Browne - Yesterday 

Newsweek
© Yana Paskova/Getty


The U.S. Senate has voted overwhelmingly to ensure that NASA is given funding for an extra $10 billion so that it has not one but two lunar landing systems ready to work this decade, crushing a motion by Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders aiming to scrap the idea.

Sanders has criticized the proposed NASA payment, which would come from federal funding, as a multi-billion dollar "bailout" to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose private space company Blue Origin would be a possible recipient of the money.

Laying out the motion in a hearing in April, Sanders used Bezos' lack of federal income tax payments and his purchase of a reportedly $500 million yacht as a reason to deny him and Blue Origin of the potential NASA payout. "So no, count me in as someone who does not think that the taxpayers of this country need to provide Mr. Bezos a $10 billion bailout to fuel his space hobby," he said

The controversy surrounds NASA's plans to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in decades as part of the Artemis program. The moon landing mission will see astronauts initially travel to the moon using NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule before switching into another spacecraft for the descent to the moon's surface.

This latter part of the mission is called the Human Landing System (HLS), and NASA wants to use a private company to make the spacecraft. In April 2021, NASA announced that SpaceX had won a $2.9 billion contract after presenting what the Government Accountability Office described as "the lowest-priced proposal with the highest rating."

This stoked the ire of Bezos and Blue Origin, which had also been vying for the contract albeit with a higher price tag.

Blue Origin ended up launching a legal challenge to the decision, arguing that NASA should have awarded multiple contracts which it had suggested it might. This legal challenge was ultimately struck down.

However, in October 2021, the U.S. Senate said it wanted NASA to choose a second company to build a lunar lander after all. NASA's administrator Bill Nelson appeared to support this idea in comments he made to Congress on Tuesday this week.

Nelson said that the agency would like a second lunar lander option because "with that competitive spirit, you get it done cheaper."

On Wednesday night, the Senate voted against Sanders' motion that aimed to scrap what appears to be a more expensive $10 billion HLS contract by 78-17. Among those voting for Sanders' doomed motion were Florida Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott in a notable political agreement between Sanders on the left and Rubio and Scott on the right.

Space Policy Online reported that proponents of the second contract argued it would ensure both competition and redundancy, meaning it would be a backup if one HLS option were to prove unfeasible.

It is important to note that Blue Origin will likely not certainly be awarded the contract, as defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Dynetics have also expressed interest—though Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman previously partnered with Blue Origin for the HLS tender last time.

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CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Intuit owes customers $141 million after it 'cheated' them out of free tax services

Steve Dent - Yesterday 
Engadget

TurboTax maker Intuit will pay $141 million "for deceiving millions of low-income Americans into paying for tax services that should have been free," the NY Attorney General's office wrote in a press release. It must also suspend its "free, free, free" ad campaign for TurboTax that baited customers with the promise of free tax preparation, then switched them into a paying service.

The company agreed to a settlement with all 50 US states and the District of Columbia, Ars Technica reported. The company must refund nearly 4.4 million consumers who used TurboTax's Free Edition between 2016 and 2018, later discovering they had to pay to file. Many didn't realize they had the option of of filing for free using the IRS Free File program offered through the software.

"Intuit cheated millions of low-income Americans out of free tax filing services they were entitled to," said Attorney General Letitia James. "For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers."

For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers.

A multistate investigation found that "Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers' participation in the IRS Free File Program," the New York AG wrote. Specifically, Intuit used similar names for both its IRS Free File product and commercial freemium TurboTax product and used search engine ads to steer customers looking for the former to the latter. It also "purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season," the NY AG wrote.

The AG office said that it marketed the freemium product through ad campaigns "where 'free' is the most prominent or sometimes the only selling point... however, the TurboTax 'freemium' product is only free for approximately one-third of US taxpayers."

Intuit released a statement expressing no regret and said the required ad changes would have little impact on its business. "As part of the agreement, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, agreed to pay $141 million to put this matter behind it, and made certain commitments regarding its advertising practices," the company wrote on its blog.

As part of the agreement, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, agreed to pay $141 million to put this matter behind it, and made certain commitments regarding its advertising practices.

Intuit dropped out of the the IRS's Free File Alliance last year, saying an exit would help it focus on "further innovating" without being encumbered Free File program rules. Eighteen months prior, the IRS introduced new Free File rules that prohibit members from "engaging in any practice" that would prevent their free software from showing up on Google or any other search engine. They were also required to call their apps "IRS Free File program delivered by [product name]."

Senator Elizabeth Warren once called the Free File Alliance "a front for tax prep companies who use it as a gateway to sell expensive products no one would even need if we’d just made it easier for people to pay their taxes." Other countries including the UK and Japan allow return-free filing for many citizens, but Intuit, H&R Block and other companies have lobbied against such a move in the US.

The payouts, amounting to about $30 per person for each tax year, is supposed to take place within 30 days of the signing of the agreement. After that, the Attorneys General of each state will "have sole discretion concerning the administration and distribution of the Settlement Fund."

Ethics Commissioner to investigate allegations made against CRTC chair

MobileSyrup - Yesterday.

Canada’s Integrity Commissioner referred TekSavvy’s request to investigate CRTC commissioner Ian Scott to the Interest and Ethics Commissioner (CIEC).

TekSavvy filed the disclosure with the Integrity Commissioner on March 1st. It states Scott held various meetings with litigants. This included 11 with Bell, Rogers or Shaw, while a file on wholesale internet rates was open and active.

“…Since your allegation with regard to Mr. Scott’s ex parte meetings may concern a possible breach of the Conflict of Interest Act, I must refer your disclosure to the Office of the CIEC,” the Integrity Commissioner told TekSavvy, according to a press release.

The CIEC will prepare a report for the Prime Minister outlining the allegations, their analysis, and conclusions.

TekSavvy’s main point of contention is a meeting Scott had with Bell CEO Mirko Bibic at an Ottawa bar in December 2019. The meeting took place after the CRTC released a decision saying telecom companies should lower wholesale internet rates. Bell was among the telecom giants who filed an application to reverse the ruling. The meeting between Scott and Bibic took place a week after Bell filed the application. The CRTC soon reversed its original decision.

The news from the CIEC comes after the Information Commissioner said the CRTC broke disclosure rules. The ruling results from three access to information requests TekSavvy filed asking for details on meetings Scott held with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw, and Telus.

Source: TekSavvy

Canada’s Information Commissioner says the CRTC broke disclosure rules

MobileSyrup - Apr 29

Canada’s Information Commissioner has ruled the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broke disclosure laws when dealing with information requests from TekSavvy.

The internet service provider filed three requests in June 2021, looking into meetings Chair Ian Scott took with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw and Telus.

The Commission took eight months to respond to the requests, which TekSavvy says were only “partially fulfilled” in February. Under the Access to Information Act, federal institutions have 30 days to respond to requests. Institutions often impose extensions for a variety of reasons.

But if institutions fail to respond within the 30 days or the agreed-upon extended timeline, it equates to refusing to grant access to the requested information.

The party seeking the information can ask the federal court to review the process and examine if the institution was correct in refusing access.

The Information Commissioner’s office found all three delays were related to “an extended period of time needed to review the responsive records as well as additional time required to seek clarification from a third party consultation.”

According to a blog post on TekSavvy’s website, the request on Bell focused on a December 2019 meeting between Scott’s CEO Mirko Bibic.

The two met days after the telecom giant filed an application with the CRTC to overturn a ruling that would have lowered internet prices for Canadians.

Organizations, including TekSavvy and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, have stated Scott should remove himself from decisions surrounding internet decisions because the meeting exhibited personal bias. The CRTC denied the recusal request.

Scott has since stated the meeting was appropriate, and he broke no rules.

MobileSyrup has asked the CRTC for comment and will provide an update once available.

Image credit: screenshot/CRTC

Edmonton newcomer centre desperately seeks funding, new space

An organization that provides support to newcomers arriving in Edmonton is desperate for a new space and funding to continue its operations.


© Global News

Megan Klein, executive director of the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, stands with a pile of overflowing donations Thursday, May 5, 2022.

Caley Gibson - Yesterday 

GLOBAL NEWS

The Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers says its refugee donation centre located on 82 Street at 117 Avenue is bursting at the seams.

The centre has long been used to provide language training to immigrants and newcomers. But now, many of the classrooms, closets and conference rooms are overflowing with donations as the centre's limited staff try to sort, organize and disperse the items to newcomers who arrive in the city with nothing.

"They have access to everything. I leave them to pick and choose what they want," settlement practitioner Dalia Abdellatif said.

"Most of the people are coming for kitchen items, because this is the first thing they want in their house, so they can cook for their children."

Read more:

More Edmonton homes needed to host Ukrainian families fleeing war

As Edmonton continues to welcome newcomers from Ukraine and other parts of the world, EMCN is seeking a low- or no-cost space for a new coordinated donation centre. The centre hopes the new space could hold all of the donated items currently crowding up its other location.

"Our city needs a permanent home for donations intended for refugees, victims of emergencies, and others needing to make a fresh start," said Megan Klein, executive director of EMCN.

"The Refugee Donation Centre in EMCN's language classes building is just a bootstrap operation until a more permanent solution is established. We felt like we had to do something to fill the service vacuum left in our city when the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society was forced to close its doors back in August 2021."

According to Klein, their current space is less than ideal as it was intended to be a learning centre. Instead, donated goods are left piling up at the back door as they don't have the staff resources to get the items up to the second floor.

Read more:

Edmonton charity makes public plea for help to stay open after losing building

EMCN is also seeking additional funding to continue its operations, after its current funding ran out at the end of March. As more newcomers continue to arrive in Edmonton, the organization says it can no longer meet the needs of incoming refugees and immigrants without more financial support.

"There is a critical need for this service since refugees need all basic household items," Klein said. "As refugees arrive in our city, they will have to dip into their very small resettlement allowance for these items. Arrivals of newcomers fleeing the crisis in Ukraine are not even provided a standard refugee allowance as they are not designated as refugees when arriving under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program.

"Without access to unrestricted supports like EMCN's donation centre for refugees, many vulnerable families will simply go without basic necessities."

Read more:

Alberta begins welcoming people displaced by war in Ukraine

EMCN is seeking funding from both the municipal and provincial governments in hopes of opening a New Start Essentials Market. Ideally located in northeast Edmonton, the market would offer wraparound services like food, employment, housing and family supports while also operating as a donation centre.

"We do need a space that has a shipping and receiving side so that we can bring in some goods, including some larger goods," Klein said. "And a place that has easy access to transit."

The goal would be to support newcomers and also be able to serve people affected by fires, floods and other emergencies, bridging the gap created when EERSS shuttered.

EMNC said it needs to find a new permanent home for the donation centre by this September, when teachers and students return to the building for on-site English classes and childcare.

- With files from Kirby Bourne, 630 CHED

Stollery Children’s Hospital ER seeing ‘unprecedented’ wait times, surge in patients: Edmonton doctor

Karen Bartko - Yesterday
Global News

Emergency room wait times have been a concern for many years in Edmonton and now a local doctor says the city's children's hospital is in the midst of an unprecedented, unsustainable situation.

Dr. Shazma Mithani, an emergency room physician at both the Royal Alexandra Hospital and Stollery Children's Hospital, said the latter is seeing patient volumes and wait times exceeding even the worst pre-pandemic situations.

"It's been extremely busy," Mithani said on Thursday.

"It's just continuing to get worse and it's almost become the new baseline in terms of patient care and what we're seeing there."

The Stollery operates 236 beds and is the largest children’s hospital (by bed count) west of Toronto.

Read more:
Calgary parents face long lineups at Alberta Children’s Hospital ER

Mithani said there's several reason for the surge in patients, including COVID-19, other viruses, and mental illness.

"We definitely are seeing a lot of COVID in young kids right now. With the spike in cases that we're seeing with Omicron again during this sixth wave, we are seeing a lot of kids coming in with respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms with COVID," she said. "But we're also seeing lots of other viruses."

The ER doc said a significant number of the children coming in have respiratory issues requiring oxygen, ongoing treatment and admission to the hospital.

"On top of that, there's a growing mental health crisis that we're seeing in the paediatric population."

Read more:

Alberta doctors invite premier, health minister to visit ICU: ‘We need you to see’

Staffing issues are compounding the issue. Mithani said after two years of the pandemic, health-care workers are burnt out and fed up.

"On a typical shift, we're seeing way, way more patients than what we usually are," Mithani said.

"To just mentally juggle all of those patients at the same time can be quite challenging and certainly can be quite exhausting."

Video: Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation looking to build new facility

The situation has gotten so bad, the hospital has opened an overflow ER in clinic spaces.

"So essentially, we're running two parallel emergency departments at the same time: one in the main area and one in a different part of the hospital, where there's another physician over there seeing patients or just trying to get through all these people who are in the waiting room."

Mithani said some days, she'll look up and realize there's 40 or more patients in the waiting room.

"It can sometimes be pretty demoralizing to just try to catch up and to try to do what you can for the patients — and just not have the resources to do that."

Freeing up space inside the hospital is also an issue, resulting in patients sitting around in the ER waiting to be transferred: "So it's a combination of a myriad of things."

Behind the tweets: Edmonton doctors gain social media following amid COVID-19 pandemic
Long waits just for triage

Waiting to see a doctor isn't new — Mithani said isn't not unusual for her to see a patient that's been sitting around for more than six hours now.

But waiting to first be assessed by a triage nurse is now taking 45 to 60 minutes usually. On bad days, it can stretch to 90 minutes.

"It can be very dangerous, because if we have a patient who's in the waiting room, who hasn't even been fully assessed by a nurse, who is getting sicker while waiting for that assessment, our main concern is that there is going to be a bad outcome."

Video: Spike in number of deaths of Alberta youth and young adults receiving help from child intervention services

So what's the solution?

Mithani said the hospital has exhausted a lot of the short-term solutions such as opening up extra spaces.

Nurse are also working 16-hour mandatory overtime shifts just to keep the department running, "which in and of itself is unsafe, to have that expectation for health-care workers to work such prolonged hours."

Mithani said she's been working on an education project called Shift pERspectives, aiming to educate the public on what is and isn't an emergency, when it's ok to stay home and when parents can take their kids to their family doctor or paediatrician instead of the emergency room.

Mithani said a long-term, larger solution is hiring more staff.

"Increasing staffing, relooking at the structure of the emergency departments, trying to think more innovatively about how to flow patients through the department, making sure that there's increased bed capacity on the wards — because again, that is often a rate-limiting step for us in moving patients out of the emergency department."

Increasing youth mental health supports in the community is also key, she said.

"Not having those community supports means that many more patients come in, in crisis from a mental health standpoint and of course, have to wait for long hours in the emergency department and put extra pressure on the department," Mithani said.

Read more:

Soaring demand at U of A hospital ER shifts flow of patients to Stollery Children’s Hospital

That's something Fort McMurray mother Kirsten Chiasson would like to see. The family came to the Edmonton children's hospital looking for help for their son.

"It was disgustingly busy in there and they didn't take too long to see him because of the situation. But once the doctor did see him, she saw him once and then didn't come back," Chiasson said from outside the hospital on Thursday.

Chiasson said staff at the Stollery didn't offer any more help than they could get back at home and they felt the drive to Edmonton was a waste of time and money.

She said her son previously had heart surgery at the Stollery and their experience before and now couldn't be more different.

"I just feel like this whole hospital's went way down in the past few years," Chiasson told Global News.

"It seems impossible for us to receive the help now that we need for our son."

Video: Edmonton doctor says ER patients leaving due to long wait times

The challenges aren't unique to the Stollery and are playing out across the province, Health Minister Jason Copping said on Thursday.

In the short term, he said Alberta Health Services is asking staff to work overtime. Efforts to hire more are ongoing, the health authority is moving resources from slower units to busier ones and patients are put anywhere there's space.

But Copping admits, it's a Band-Aid solution on a gaping wound.

"The answer quite frankly — and we've talk about this before — is building capacity and that takes time," he said to reporters at the legislature on Thursday.

Read more:

Alberta exploring a stand-alone Stollery Children’s Hospital

The current Stollery Children’s Hospital was built in 2001, with the majority of services and beds located inside the University of Alberta Hospital and the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre.

As of 2021, it was seeing more than 300,000 patient visits per year, with families coming from northern Alberta, northern B.C., all the Prairie provinces and three Territories. More than 40 per cent of children treated at the Stollery are from outside the Edmonton area.

The hospital's foundation has been advocating for a stand-alone building for some time. Last year, the Alberta government and Stollery announced they were moving forward with a feasibility study on the idea.