If the federal government proceeds with its proposed plastics registry and production cap, Alberta will take them to court once more.
Alberta’s Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz issued a press release reacting to her federal counterpart Steven Guilbeault’s proposal.
Schulz has asked numerous times to work with the federal government collaboratively, as opposed to the feds implementing unilateral decisions without consulting Alberta.
“This unilateral announcement is a slap in the face to Alberta and our province’s petrochemical industry, and the thousands of Albertans who work in it,” said Schulz.
True North previously reported that Guilbeault proposed creating a plastics registry, forcing some companies to report their plastic production and implementation regularly. The registry is set to come into effect in September 2025.
The registry will require businesses to report on plastic they have placed on the market and the amount of plastic waste generated on their commercial, industrial, and institutional premises. Small businesses that produce less than one tonne of plastic each year will be exempt from making reports. Additional reporting requirements will be added in 2027.
Schulz explained that every modern convenience and necessity either contains or is made from plastic. She said that Alberta is positioned to be a world leader in plastics production for decades with its carbon-neutral plastics production.
“Minister Guilbeault’s proposal would throw all of that into jeopardy and risk billions of dollars in investments. This includes projects like Dow Chemical’s net-zero petrochemical plant in Fort Saskatchewan, a $9-billion project that will create thousands of jobs,” she said.
On top of losing billions of dollars, Schulz said the proposal will fail to reduce plastic production.
“If the federal government limits plastic production in Canada, other countries like China will just produce more. The only outcome that this federal government will achieve will be fewer jobs in Canada,” said Schulz.
Guilbeault and Schulz have stepped into the ring before.
True North previously reported that the Federal Court sided with Alberta and Saskatchewan, determining that the Liberals’ single-use plastics ban was “unreasonable and unconstitutional.”
“Minister Guilbeault’s decision to cap production is even more egregious and is equally unconstitutional. Under no circumstances will Alberta permit any limit on our ability to produce and export plastic products,” said Schulz.
She said that instead of wasting everyone’s time, the federal government could learn from Alberta’s plan. The plan diverts plastics from landfills and turns used plastics into new products, which Schulz deemed “a modern miracle.”
However, if the federal government decides to proceed with its plan, Alberta promises to take them to court and defend its provincial jurisdiction, along with the thousands of Albertans who work in the petrochemical sector.
