Chestermere’s Neighbour – Wheatland County Joins Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub Initiative

Just a short drive east of Chestermere, Wheatland County is playing a major role in Alberta’s evolving hydrogen economy. On March 21, the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub (CRH2) officially launched in Calgary, with Wheatland County standing alongside several major partners including Calgary Economic Development, the City of Calgary, Alberta Innovates, the Government of Canada, and project manager Transition Accelerator.
The Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub is envisioned as a catalyst for building a thriving hydrogen ecosystem—connecting producers, users, and innovators to accelerate adoption of low-carbon hydrogen across the region.
“The concept for the hub is to be a connection point for players in the hydrogen ecosystem—those industry players that could potentially use hydrogen in the future or maybe are currently using it,” explained Wheatland County Reeve Amber Link. She highlighted the example of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC), which currently produces its own hydrogen due to the lack of a broader refueling network. CRH2 aims to bridge gaps like this by creating infrastructure that links hydrogen production with end users across multiple industries.
Beyond creating vital connections, the project will support research, testing, and analysis across sectors such as air travel, heating and power, municipal and industrial vehicle fleets, and rail transport. Wheatland County’s involvement builds on two years of collaboration with Calgary Economic Development, the City of Calgary, and other partners.
The initiative mirrors the successful model established by the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub. CRH2 has already secured $3 million in funding from multiple levels of government and anticipates leveraging up to $75 million in private sector investment. The project is also expected to create around 100 skilled labour jobs, offering economic benefits to the region.
During the launch announcement, Brad Parry, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, emphasized the larger impact hydrogen could have, estimating the hydrogen economy could generate $50 billion annually within Canada and up to $700 billion globally.
Wheatland County’s strategic role in the hub is no accident. According to Link, the county has several advantages for hydrogen production, including existing industrial operations already generating hydrogen. “We will build on the success that the Edmonton hub has had so far, but there are some unique considerations within the Calgary context that we can integrate into the Calgary Hydrogen Hub,” she noted.
The CRH2 initiative also supports Calgary’s climate goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Hub will serve as a collaborative platform for government, industry, and subject matter experts to share knowledge, identify gaps, and spark new pilot projects that could strengthen the entire hydrogen supply chain.
“We are at a point in time where all of the factors have come together and we were ready to launch the actual hub,” said Link. “The next steps will focus on deepening industry engagement, closing knowledge gaps, and exploring pilot opportunities that will keep our region at the forefront of the global hydrogen economy.”
Residents interested in learning more about hydrogen’s future in Alberta can explore additional resources through the Alberta Hydrogen Roadmap, the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, and the CRH2’s growing network.