Photo: Submitted The Canadian Taxpayers Federation

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to scrap carbon taxes and push Ottawa to reverse 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 Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “This is like the government dumping nails all over the road, popping your tires and then spending your money to buy new tires.  

“Politicians must stop blocking development so job-creators can build major projects without taxpayers’ money.”

Smith and Ford announced on Monday that the two provincial governments are proposing to build a pipeline from Hardisty, Alta., to refineries in Sarnia, Ont.

The premiers did not rule-out spending taxpayers’ money on the project.

“We won’t hesitate to do what the government of Canada and Alberta’s doing,” Ford said at the news conference in Calgary.

Last week, the Alberta government proposed to spend up to $43.7 billion to build a pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia’s west coast, with taxpayers shouldering 90 per cent of the costs of the project.

Oil companies and economists have stated carbon taxes, Alberta’s memorandum of understanding with Ottawa and anti-pipeline laws are stopping companies from spending private money to build pipelines.

“We’ve 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.

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 Prime Minister Mark 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, while just 12 per cent believe businesses pay most of the cost.

“Governments need to scrap all carbon taxes and get rid of red tape that’s getting in the way,” said Noah Jarvis, CTF Ontario Director. “Ford should stand up to Ottawa and fight Carney’s carbon taxes and anti-pipeline laws so natural resource projects get built with private money instead of putting taxpayers on the hook.”