Connect with us
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=12]

Alberta

Alberta joins provincial opposition to federal Clean Fuel Regulations gas tax

Published

4 minute read

Alberta joins provinces opposing federal regulations: Minister Schulz

Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz sent a letter to federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault on the upcoming Clean Fuel Regulations:

“Today, I sent a letter to Minister Steven Guilbeault informing him that the Government of Alberta is joining the Government of Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces in calling on the federal government to immediately halt the implementation of the federal Clean Fuel Regulations on July 1.

“The federal Clean Fuel Regulations will harm provincial economies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada. Combined with the federal government’s carbon tax increase, higher gasoline and diesel costs are expected, putting added cost pressures on other goods and services across the country.

“Now is not the time to drive up prices at the pump and increase expenses for vulnerable households, businesses and industries. Families and businesses cannot continue to afford reckless cost and tax increases imposed by the federal government.

“Alberta has released an Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan which is our best path to enhancing our position as a global leader in emissions reductions, clean technology and innovation, and sustainable resource development. It includes a realistic aspiration to have a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, without compromising the affordable, reliable and secure energy that we all rely on.

“What we need now is a concrete plan that will help move us forward in realistic and innovative ways. The federal government needs to stop moving ahead with their costly plans until a path forward can be found that supports all Canadians.”

—-

The letter

Dear Minister Guilbeault:

On behalf of the Government of Alberta, I am joining the Government of Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces in calling on the federal government to immediately halt the implementation of the upcoming Federal Clean Fuel Regulations.

Alberta is committed to reducing emissions while keeping energy reliable, secure, and affordable. Our Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan works towards a carbon neutral economy; commits to reviewing renewable fuel standards; increases minimum requirements for blending for ethanol and bio based diesel; includes fuel emission intensity reductions; and other major steps forward. We believe this is a path forward that will work for our unique circumstances.

The Federal Clean Fuel Regulations, however, will harm provincial economies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada. A plan that unfairly increases costs on families and does not account for regional differences is no plan at all.

The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) confirmed this in a May 2023 report that found that the Clean Fuel Regulations would hit Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic provinces the hardest. The PBO’s report estimated that the cost increase to the average Alberta households in 2030 would be $1,117.

Canadians are already struggling with high inflation. Adding fuel to the fire by hiking the cost of gasoline and diesel will be devastating.

This issue requires immediate attention. Given the pending implementation date of July 1, 2023, Alberta is requesting that the regulations be halted until a path forward can be found that supports all Canadians and addresses the concerns of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic provinces.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Schulz
Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

Follow Author

Alberta

Official statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Energy Minister Brian Jean on the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline

Published on

Alberta is celebrating an important achievement for the energy industry – the start-up of the twinned Trans Mountain pipeline. It’s great news Albertans and Canadians as this will welcome a new era of prosperity and economic growth. The completion of TMX is monumental for Alberta, since this will significantly increase our province’s output. It will triple the capacity of the original pipeline to now carry 890,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta’s oil sands to British Columbia’s Pacific Coast.
We are excited that Canada’s biggest and newest oil pipeline in more than a decade, can now bring oil from Edmonton to tide water in B.C. This will allow us to get our energy resources to Pacific markets, including Washington State and California, and Asian markets like Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Alberta now has new energy customers and tankers with Alberta oil will be unloading in China and India in the next few months.
For Alberta this is a game-changer, the world needs more reliably and sustainably sourced Alberta energy, not less. World demand for oil and gas resources will continue in the decades ahead and the new pipeline expansion will give us the opportunity to meet global energy demands and increase North American and global energy security and help remove the issues of energy poverty in other parts of the world.
Analysts are predicting the price differential on Canadian crude oil will narrow resulting in many millions of extra government revenues, which will help fund important programs like health, education, and social services – the things Albertans rely on. TMX will also result in billions of dollars of economic prosperity for Albertans, Indigenous communities and Canadians and create well-paying jobs throughout Canada.
Our province wants to congratulate the Trans Mountain Corporation for its tenacity to have completed this long awaited and much needed energy infrastructure, and to thank the more than 30,000 dedicated, skilled workers whose efforts made this extraordinary project a reality. The province also wants to thank the Federal Government for seeing this project through. This is a great example of an area where the provincial and federal government can cooperate and work together for the benefit of Albertans and all Canadians.
Continue Reading

Alberta

Protecting the right to vote for Canadian citizens: Minister McIver

Published on

Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued the following statement in response to Calgary City Council’s vote to extend the right to vote to permanent residents:

“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections. Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.

“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. This right extends to voters in municipal, provincial and federal elections.

“Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. Our provincial election legislation, like the Local Authorities Elections Act, has also been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens.

“Alberta’s government is also ensuring that voting is accessible for more Albertans. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot.

“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”

Continue Reading

Trending

X