alberta premier danielle smith says province is ready to push back against clean fuel regulation
premier danielle smith is prepared to fight the new cle...
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premier danielle smith speaks during a calgary chamber of commerce luncheon at the hyatt regency hotel in calgary on thursday, june 29, 2023.
gavin young/postmedia
premier danielle smith is prepared to fight the new clean fuel regulation set to hit canadians on canada day.
on thursday, the premier addressed a letter sent by her environment minister rebecca schulz to federal environment and climate change minister steven guibault that stated the province would join saskatchewan and atlantic canada in opposing the new tax.
smith said the province has an affordability crisis and the provincial government managed to give albertans some relief by pausing provincial fuel taxes, but the new levy undercuts those efforts.
“we’ve got to push back against the federal government on all things that are making life more unaffordable for albertans,” she told media following an address to the calgary chamber of commerce at the hyatt regency in downtown calgary.
the clean fuel regulation sets requirements for fuel regulations, which, if not met, require producers to purchase credits, with the cost passed on to consumers. the parliamentary budget officer said it will cost albertans more than $1,160 per year. this is on top of annual increases to the federal carbon tax.
smith said the province will be looking for some common ground with the federal government, such as working with the b.c. government on increasing lng exports and to achieve emission-reduction credits through it. the province will also push for more realistic electricity grid goals, targeting 2050 over 2035 and pressure ottawa to remove the 2030 emissions cap altogether.
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chamber president and ceo deborah yedlin echoed the premier’s concerns over affordability.
“we’re already dealing with an inflationary situation and this isn’t gonna help,” she said. “when you see the regulations causing higher costs for businesses and consumers, there’s no pricing power. if you’re a business, you can’t pass that on. if you’re incurring higher and higher costs, that’s something that you’re gonna have to deal with in terms of having smaller margins.”
calgary chamber of commerce president and ceo deborah yedlin talks with media in downtown calgary on june 29.
gavin young/postmedia
kathleen ganley, ndp energy and climate critic, said the province needs to work with the federal government to improve alberta’s position.
“(what) we need is a provincial government that’s willing to be at the table, that’s willing to advocate for alberta and for our positions, to ensure that the federal government is getting it right,” she said. “yes, you do have to take a strong stand sometimes, but i think you also have to be willing to sit down with people in order to get the outcomes that are necessary.”
the premier is coming off of meetings with natural resources minister jonathan wilkinson and intergovernmental affairs minister dominic leblanc last week. she also has a meeting scheduled with prime minister justin trudeau when he comes to calgary for stampede, and they will be talking primarily about energy.
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ballooning electricity prices on alberta government radar
carbon levies are not the only affordability issue smith is working on.
with electricity prices expected to spike over the summer for those on regulated rate options, there are calls for government action to lessen the blow. smith said she will be talking with affordability and utilities minister nathan neudorf about the options the province has. she also encouraged those still on rro deals to switch over to fixed-rate contracts.
“the regulated rate option is completely broken,” she said. “when people see regulated rate, they think they’re protected, and they’re not — it’s the most volatile rate.”
the province is also working to address housing affordability for both renters and homebuyers, as well as the costs of public services such as health care and education.
this has been exacerbated by record migration to calgary and alberta as a whole. the premier said the province will be looking at programs to streamline the process to build projects like affordable housing.
at the heart of this is the need to address workforce shortages in the trades. the province will be looking to recruit people into the trades at younger ages while also opening up the provincial nominee program to improve immigration in these sectors.
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“we’ve got to do a better job of connecting young people with the amazing opportunities that there are in the building trades and skilled trades,” she said.
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