An Interview with the Alberta Motor Association (AMA)
The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) advocates for “protecting what matters most” to Albertans. For many, that means getting help on the road—emergency roadside assistance for a popped tire on Highway 2, or a boost for a drained battery in Dinosaur Provincial Park. But beyond that, AMA also cares for the communities it serves. AMA has prioritized environmental stewardship for decades, having launched Alberta’s first vehicle emissions testing program in the 1970s. The organization is committed to tracking emissions and improving its environmental footprint to operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and build a sustainable future for Albertans.
To support this work, AMA signed up for ERA’s Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program in 2025. We spoke with Carly Weiss, Sustainability Initiatives Manager at AMA, to learn more about the organization’s energy management projects at its service centres.
Carly, what is your role at AMA?
My role is to help understand the impact of AMA’s work on the environment. I track greenhouse gas emissions from our operations, whether that’s our roadside assistance fleet or the buildings we operate out of. I also help teams within our organization find more environmentally-friendly ways to work, including day-to-day actions to support energy management— actions as simple as turning off a light.
How did you hear about SEMI, and want to participate?
SEMI fell into our laps in a funny way—we hired contractors to help install solar panels at our buildings, and one of them asked if we had looked into the program. Once I did some research, it felt like a natural fit for AMA.
We were already investigating how to improve our energy management and upgrade some equipment at our facilities, so SEMI gave us the opportunity to move these projects faster. The funding support has really helped make it all come together.
What projects are you receiving funding for?
Since AMA is a not-for-profit organization, we qualified for 100 per cent of project funding, which really allowed us to take on as many projects as we can. We’re using the funding for energy efficiency upgrades at our 24/7 service centres in Calgary and Edmonton, where we store and maintain AMA’s fleet of tow trucks and roadside assistance vehicles.
At our Edmonton North Centre, we’re working on what we call an “energy makeover.” Through SEMI’s Facility Readiness Assessment, we identified some deep energy retrofits we’d need to make a big difference in reducing emissions. These upgrades will include adding four inches of insulation and new metal panelling to the exterior of the building, replacing windows, installing a new air compressor and upgrading our hot water tanks to electric.
We expect these changes will reduce energy use by 54 per cent and prevent 29 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from being released into the atmosphere.
What has the impact been for AMA?
The impact has been significant in a few different ways. From an energy and emissions standpoint, we’re lowering operations costs and improving our environmental performance. For example, upgrades through SEMI at our Blackfoot Service Centre in Calgary are expected to lower energy use by 78 per cent and reduce 88 megatons of carbon emissions per year. That’s huge.
These cost savings mean AMA can reinvest the funds into more community programs and services for its more than one million members across Alberta.
There’s also a real benefit for AMA employees. Staff at the service centres are getting upgraded, comfortable and modern spaces to work in. That can make a big difference day to day; our service teams will have better technology, comfortable workspaces, and a facility that’s designed to support the work they do.
SEMI has allowed us to try new approaches and make bigger improvements than we would have otherwise, and we’re looking forward to seeing the long-term results.
Quick Facts
- The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is one of the largest membership organizations in Alberta, representing over 1 million members provincewide.
- ERA’s SEMI program provides industrial and manufacturing facilities with funding support, expertise, and training in energy management.
- SEMI is a $70 million program, with funding provided by the Government of Alberta and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). It is designed to help the province’s industrial and manufacturing sectors increase competitiveness, improve energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.