Carbon Tax ruling

Sask. gov’t loses carbon tax challenge

May 3, 2019 | 12:06 PM

Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has denied the provincial government’s challenge on the federal government’s carbon tax.

In a decision released Friday in Regina, the judges voted 3-2 to reject the Sask. Party’s argument that the federal government didn’t have the constitutional power to collect the carbon tax in Saskatchewan starting April 1.

The sides presented their cases to the Court of Appeal in February, with lawyers for the Government of Saskatchewan laying out the province’s argument on Feb. 13. Interveners also shared their thoughts with the judges.

The following day, lawyers for the Government of Canada made their case.

While the judges were considering the case, the carbon tax came into effect in the provinces that hadn’t agreed to enforce their own carbon levies.

Ontario and Manitoba have joined Saskatchewan in launching court cases challenging the carbon tax. Alberta and New Brunswick also are opponents of the federal tax.

On Thursday, Saskatchewan Justice Minister Don Morgan predicted the case would go to the Supreme Court of Canada regardless of the outcome.

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