Though Ottawa relented on its goal for a “net-zero” electricity grid, Alberta is still taking them to court.

Canada’s new electricity regulations capitulate to Alberta’s 2050 target, says cabinet, but Premier Danielle Smith says that isn’t good enough.

“They've got to just back off of provincial jurisdiction,” she told reporters on Thursday, suggesting Ottawa is contravening the Charter.

"They have no right to tell us how to run our power grid": Premier Smith says Alberta will keep fighting Trudeau's net-zero electricity plans.

"We're not done yet...we've got two other idiotic policies we're fighting," pointing to a proposed emissions cap and net-zero cars. pic.twitter.com/Beu7anRlQC

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) December 19, 2024

Published on Tuesday, the final version of Trudeau’s clean electricity regulations pushed back the timeline for a carbon neutral power grid from 2035 to 2050.

“We’ve always been focused on net-zero by 2050, which is no different from what Premier Smith says,” Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told Postmedia.

“That issue, if that’s one that people continue to talk about, has been fully addressed,” he claimed.

The regulations took nearly three years to finalize, following considerable back and forth with industry and provincial governments.

Industry partners previously came to Smith’s defence, arguing an additional 10 to 15 years would be needed to transition the electricity grid.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told PM Justin Trudeau that a net-zero power grid "is not possible by 2035."
Smith adds that 42% emissions reduction by 2030 — "essentially a production cap" — is not "realistic or feasible."

Sign our petition: https://t.co/PHR7jF0lJM pic.twitter.com/tAS3C5mJty

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) July 7, 2023

The new regulations scale back emission targets  from 342 million to 193 million tonnes, and permit natural gas power plants to run unabated for 25 years, up from 20.

“Why still take Ottawa to court?” a reporter asked Thursday afternoon. “They [Ottawa] have no right to tell us how to run our power grid,” Smith replied.

“I'm glad Steven Guilbeault finally admitted what we have been arguing all along,” she added. “Some of the things … were too stringent and … would be very hard to achieve without Canadians incurring a very high cost.

Conversely, federal officials said they would mandate steeper emissions reductions after 2050. Wilkinson says the regulations will keep power prices down.

Proposed Liberal electricity regulations mean "Everybody is going to end up paying more," Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tells Rebel reporter @westcdnfirst

Unveiling a national messaging plan, Smith says the feds are imposing "ideology" on provinces.https://t.co/RPFfbxmEf5 pic.twitter.com/LfqpSytfiL

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 28, 2023

In May of 2023, the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) said the combined cost for the transition and power generation would be $92.2 billion. The initial regulations would put costs between $200 billion and $400 billion, Smith said.

Federal climate targets now put costs at $690 billion between 2024 and 2050, reported Blacklock’s.

“Climate change is a growing threat to Canada and the world,” said a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement issued by Minister Guilbeault. “We are already seeing the costs,” it said. 

Premier Smith says Alberta, unlike other provinces, cannot wean off natural gas in place of nuclear or hydroelectric power, having already phased out coal.

In an August 10, 2023 analysis by Environment and Climate Change Canada, ratepayers would see residential electricity costs jump 15% in those provinces. For the province of Alberta, 2040 rate hikes would average $154.

Danielle Smith slams the federal government for disregarding its Supreme Court losses on clean electricity and plastic regulations. "We've got a lawless federal government." https://t.co/RPFfbxmEf5 pic.twitter.com/CywHG7Kla7

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) November 22, 2023

Smith had previously vowed the regulations would not be implemented in Alberta, calling them “unconstitutional and irresponsible.”

A prior news release said the province intends to challenge the regulations in court once they become law. In November 2023, the province invoked the Sovereignty Act to set the stage for the eventual challenge.

“Alberta will therefore be preparing an immediate court challenge of these electricity regulations that we fully expect to win,” it said.

Additionally, Smith says her province will challenge the proposed production cap and “net-zero” car mandate.

“Electric vehicles will displace vehicles with internal combustion engines. Buildings will be heated with heat pumps rather than natural gas,” reads Guilbeault’s notice.

“He fully understands the implications of what he's doing,” Smith said. “A net zero economy will require far more electricity than we use today, wrote his department.

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