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“We have shortlisted six projects and it would be up to companies if they want to disclose,” McKinnon said, declining to comment on specific proposals by companies on the list.

The government has been criticized by the opposition United Conservative Party for announcing major financial commitments for partial upgraders and petrochemical projects ahead of a provincial election. “Why, just before the election, are they signing all of these contracts?” UCP energy critic Prasad Panda said in an interview.

McKinnon said the partial upgrading program has been in the works for a long time, and the government is not rushing through the process despite the documents referencing the need for expedience.

“As with all company negotiations, it takes time to conduct the necessary due diligence,” he said in an email. “We are committed to making sure all negotiations are conducted in a professional way that defends the interests of Albertans at all times.”

In February 2018, the province announced it would provide up to $1 billion in funding, comprised of $200 million in grants and $800 million in loan guarantees, last February to encourage new partial upgrading projects in the province.

The first tranche of that funding was announced in Jan. 2019 when the government signed a letter of intent with privately held Value Creation Inc. to provide a $440 million loan guarantee for a $2-billion facility to partially upgrade 77,500 barrels of diluted bitumen per day.