Alberta applies for judicial review of Atlantic federal carbon tax exemption, calling it 'blatantly' unfair
The province is asking the Federal Court to declare the Atlantic home heating oil exemption unconstitutional and unlawful in hopes of seeing the tax axed altogether
EDMONTON — Premier Danielle Smith announced that Alberta has requested a judicial review of Ottawa’s exemption from the carbon tax on home heating oil.
During a Tuesday press conference, Smith stated that this exemption is “blatantly” unfair to Albertans who depend on natural gas for heating their homes, emphasizing that relief is urgent with the cold winter weather approaching.
Justice Minister Mickey Amery explained that it took approximately a year for the province to formulate its legal argument and he anticipates it will take another year for the case to proceed through Federal Court. The province seeks a ruling declaring the exemption unconstitutional and unlawful, with the aim of eliminating the carbon tax entirely.
“The federal carbon tax has always been unfair, but the selective way it’s being applied now is also unconstitutional, and the impacts on Albertans will only get worse as the costs continue to increase,” Smith remarked.
Amery added that providing a benefit to heating oil users, primarily in Atlantic Canada, undermines the intended national standard for achieving emissions targets.
