Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz sent a letter Thursday 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 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," Schulz said..“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.".The federal government's climate plan requires suppliers to gradually reduce the carbon intensity of the gasoline and diesel fuels they produce and sell for use in Canada starting July 1.."Under the Clean Fuel Regulations, the gasoline and diesel Canadians use every day will become progressively cleaner over time and affordable alternatives will be increasingly available to consumers," the federal government stated.."In 2020, the transportation sector accounted for 24% of Canada’s total emissions.".The federal government said as the world strives to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, a major shift will occur to lower carbon and produce non-emitting fuels.."Canada is in a position to be the producer and consumer of these fuels that consumers are looking for now, and will increasingly be looking for in the future," the federal government said.."The Clean Fuel Regulations increase incentives for the development and adoption of clean fuels, technologies and processes. The goal of the Clean Fuel Regulations is to significantly reduce pollution by making the fuels we use every day cleaner over time.".The Clean Fuel Regulations require liquid fossil fuel (gasoline and diesel) suppliers to gradually reduce the carbon intensity — or the amount of pollution — from the fuels they produce and sell for use in Canada over time, leading to a decrease of approximately 15% (below 2016 levels) in the carbon intensity of gasoline and diesel used in Canada by 2030..The federal government said the Clean Fuel Regulations will deliver up to 26 million tonnes (Mt) of GHG emissions reductions in 2030. That's is equal to removing about two weeks of greenhouse gas emissions from the Canadian economy..The Government of Canada said it's following similar approaches that already exist in British Columbia, California, Oregon and other jurisdictions..READ MORE: Canadians brace for the high cost of Trudeau's second carbon tax, starts July 1.A new federal carbon tax will apply to fuel producers starting July 1. To comply with the regulations, they will have to buy credits or lower the carbon content of their fuels..According to the PBO, the second carbon tax will significantly impact the average household by 2030. It will raise the annual cost by up to $1,157 and the gas price by up to 17 cents per litre. The table below shows the provincial breakdown of the average household cost..“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 costs and tax increases imposed by the federal government," Schulz said..“Alberta 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.".Schulz said it includes a "realistic aspiration to have a carbon-neutral economy by 2050," without compromising the affordable, reliable and secure energy that all rely on..“What we need now is a concrete plan that will help move us forward in realistic and innovative ways," Schulz said.."The federal government needs to stop moving ahead with their costly plans until a path forward can be found that supports all Canadians.”
