LETHBRIDGE, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is urging Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to scrap Alberta’s provincial industrial carbon tax.

“Smith has done the right thing by fighting Ottawa’s cap on Alberta energy and speaking out against the federal carbon tax and now she needs to scrap Alberta’s industrial carbon tax too,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “Smith should follow Saskatchewan’s lead and make Alberta a carbon tax-free zone.”

On Tuesday, April 1, the federal government officially dropped the consumer carbon tax to zero.

However, the federal government still requires provinces to impose a hidden industrial carbon tax.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will “improve and tighten” the industrial carbon tax.

“So in changing the carbon tax … we are making the large companies pay,” Carney said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to scrap all carbon taxes, including federal requirements for hidden carbon taxes on businesses.  

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced that he will be setting the rate of Saskatchewan’s industrial carbon tax to zero, effectively scrapping it.

“Saskatchewan will be the first fully carbon tax-free province in Canada,” said Moe. “The immediate effect is the removal of the carbon tax on your SaskPower bills, saving Saskatchewan families and small businesses hundreds of dollars a year.”

Alberta continues to impose a hidden industrial carbon tax on businesses in the province.

Seventy per cent of Canadians said businesses pass most or some industrial carbon tax costs on to consumers, according to a recent Leger poll commissioned by the CTF.

“Smith has been a strong fighter against carbon taxes and now she needs to entirely eliminate it here at home,” Sims said. “The Saskatchewan government deserves credit for scrapping its industrial carbon tax and becoming the first carbon tax-free province.”

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