The Alberta government is taking the federal Liberal government to court.
In a press conference on May 1, Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Justice Mickey Amery, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz and Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf jointly announced that Alberta was taking the federal government to Alberta's Court of Appeal over matters of constitutionality where it came to Ottawa's net-zero emissions by 2035 plan.
According to a release accompanying the press conference, the province notes that "Canada's constitution is clear" and "provinces have exclusive jurisdiction over the development, conservation and management of sites and facilities in the province for the generation and production of electrical energy."
"The federal government refused to work collaboratively or listen to Canadians while developing these regulations," said Smith, in the release. "The results are ineffective, unachievable and irresponsible, and place Albertans鈥� livelihoods 鈥� and more importantly, lives 鈥� at significant risk. Our government will not accept unconstitutional net-zero regulations that leave Albertans vulnerable to blackouts in the middle of summer and winter when they need electricity the most.鈥�
The release notes that findings by the Alberta Electric System Operator show that Ottawa's new regulations will make the provincial grid 100 times less reliable than it currently is and increase costs by around 35 per cent.
"The introduction of the Clean Electricity Regulations in Alberta by the federal government is another example of dangerous federal overreach," said Amery, in the release. "These regulations will create unpredictable power outages in the months when Albertans need reliable energy the most. They will also cause power prices to soar in Alberta, which will hit our vulnerable the hardest.鈥�
Ottawa's new electricity regulations, which were finalized in December 2024, impose "strict limits on fossil fuel power" in an effort to force provinces to move to a net-zero emission grid, something that Alberta believes is impossible given current technologies.
"Ottawa鈥檚 electricity regulations will leave Albertans in the dark," said Schulz. "They aren鈥檛 about reducing emissions 鈥� they are unconstitutional, ideological activist policies based on standards that can鈥檛 be met and technology that doesn鈥檛 exist. It will drive away investment and punish businesses, provinces and families for using natural gas for reliable, dispatchable power. We will not put families at risk from safety and affordability impacts 鈥� rationing power during the coldest days of the year 鈥� and we will continue to stand up for Albertans.鈥�
According to Smith, during the press conference, Albertans currently rely on natural gas for 75 per cent of electricity generated in the province; however, with Ottawa's push to "unproven" technologies, those generators would not be able to remain without significant and costly upgrades.
"Without adequate natural gas, there would be a serious risk of regular brownouts and blackouts during the cold of winter, and through the dog days of summer," said Smith. "If Ottawa had its way, Alberta would be left to freeze in the minus 40 degrees while sitting down for dinner, lit by flashlight or candlelight as they wait for the rolling blackout to move on to the next community ... Such uncaring arrogance is typical of the liberal government."
It is unknown what the timeline for the Court of Appeals is going to be, or what the response from Mark Carney's new minority Liberal government will look like.
