“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.”