The Council of Atlantic Premiers have requested a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over clean fuel regulations which will dramatically increase costs for fuel and other essential goods and services in the region.
The Premiers had a follow-up meeting with federal Environment and Climate Change Minster Steven Guilbeault saying the large increase will put a burden on Atlantic Canadians beginning on July 1st. They say it’s not an effective way to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Guilbeault continues to state the numbers his department has are different from those released by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office but refuses to share the information with the four Atlantic provinces.
A letter has been sent to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting.
The Premiers say the hefty increase comes at a time when the cost of living continues to increase in the region and calls it unfair and offensive.
Meantime, the Convenience Industry Council of Canada and the Canadian Energy Marketers Association are calling on the federal government to postpone the carbon tax hike on July 1st.
Both organizations say the tax will increase fuel costs at the pumps by 14 cents a litre. They say it will have a big effect on the tourism industry and want the feds to postpone the carbon tax until the fall.
