OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to scrap carbon taxes and repeal anti-pipeline laws instead of borrowing billions of dollars for a proposed pipeline.

“Governments are blocking pipelines with carbon taxes and red tape and then wasting taxpayers’ money trying to get projects built,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “It’s unsustainable for taxpayers to keep subsidizing projects because governments are in the way.  

“The real solution is for politicians to stop roadblocking development so job creators can build major projects without taxpayers’ money.”

Smith and Carney announced that the Alberta government is proposing to build a pipeline along the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline corridor.

In its 85-page submission to Ottawa, the Smith government estimates that the cost of constructing the pipeline will be between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion.

The private company’s “economic interest through construction will be 10 per cent” while the federal and Alberta governments “will own equal shares of the balance of the project,” according to the government of Canada.

The Alberta government signed an agreement with the federal government to hike the province’s industrial carbon tax “six and a half times” higher by 2040, according to Carney.

A Leger poll shows 68 per cent of Canadians believe businesses pass most or some of the cost of the industrial carbon tax on to consumers. Meanwhile, just 12 per cent believe businesses pay most of the cost.

Oil companies and economists have stated carbon taxes, the Memorandum of Understanding with Ottawa and anti-pipeline laws are stopping companies from spending private money to build pipelines in Canada.

“We have created a set of national policies and regulations that make resource development and investment in Canada uncompetitive with the rest of the world,” Cenovus Energy CEO Jon McKenzie said last month.

“Governments need to scrap all carbon taxes and get rid of red tape that’s getting in the way,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “The amount of money being spent on the pipeline could build more than 80,000 houses in Alberta.

“Smith needs to spend her energy fighting Carney’s carbon taxes and standing up to Ottawa so pipelines get built with private company money instead of borrowing money to pay for this government-caused problem.”

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