EDMONTON – Premier Rachel Notley told business leaders from B.C. that legislation which could curtail oil flows to the west coast is about the long-term health of the entire country.
Notley says her government doesn’t want to impose hardship on B.C. businesses and families, but says Alberta also must safeguard its interests.
About 100 business leaders from B.C. flew over the Rockies to join 200 colleagues from the Edmonton and Calgary chambers to hear Notley speak in Edmonton.
Val Litwin, with the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, says turning down the taps would not be received well in his province but says the legislation is focusing attention and spurring debate on the Trans Mountain pipeline.
Notley’s government passed legislation this week that would allow it to intervene in the energy sector to reduce oil and natural gas exports to B.C. and elsewhere.
The B.C. government has been fighting the expansion of the Trans Mountain line and Alberta’s legislation, if implemented, could lead to gasoline price spikes and other higher fuel fees in B.C.
The Trans Mountain expansion, which has been approved by Ottawa, would triple the amount of oil flowing from Alberta to tankers on the B.C. coast.