Alberta least attractive province for energy investment: report

A new Fraser Institute report says Alberta is now the least attractive province in Canada when it comes to oil and gas investment.

The right-wing think tank, based in Calgary, released the report on Wednesday morning.

Research for the reportincluded surveying petroleum executives and managers from around the world.

According to the institute'srankings, Alberta has dropped below Manitoba and Saskatchewan, andeven trails Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

The institute blames Alberta's poor showing on the industry's dissatisfaction with changes to the province's royalty regime, a lack of consultation and what it calls "a growing anti-energy bias."

The Alberta government isset to announce new drilling incentives for natural gas producerson Thursday morning.

Premier Ed Stelmachbelieves they're needed partly because of a threat to the province's biggest market, the United States.Stelmach said producers in Texas and Louisiana are poised to ramp up shale gas extraction, something that he worries could bump Alberta gas out of the picture.