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Encana Corp.’s announcement that it will move its corporate domicile to the U.S. and drop the link to Canada is indicative of a “broader decline” of the Canadian energy sector and a deliberate policy of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Thursday.

But the Calgary-based energy company denied that federal government policies had anything to do with its decision, and said the move will not have any impact on Encana’s Canadian workforce.

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Encana announced earlier in the day that it will establish its corporate domicile (legal home for its operations) in the U.S. early next year, pending various approvals. The company will also rebrand under the name Ovintiv Inc.

On a conference call with analysts, CEO Doug Suttles said the move is solely intended to help the company access deeper and growing pools of passive capital in the U.S., and will help to level the playing field with Encana’s principal U.S.-based competitors. He said nothing will change about the way Encana does business or where staff is located. Of Encana’s total 2,565 employees, 1,052, or about 40 per cent, are located in Canada.