Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.Photo by Brent Calver/Postmedia; Spencer Colby/CP

Revised federal environmental assessment act could face new legal action from Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith accuses Ottawa of 'catering to activists,' while federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says Smith is being 'cynical'

by · National Post

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is threatening another legal challenge against Ottawa’s environmental assessment law, a move federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is dismissing as a political stunt.

The federal Impact Assessment Act was enacted in 2019, but a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last year found much of it unconstitutional.

Alberta faces off against Ottawa this week in Supreme Court over 'no more pipelines' lawA federal environmental law that has been condemned as a “wrecking ball” goes on trial Tuesday as the Supreme Court of Canada considers whether Ottawa is stepping on provincial jurisdiction by giving itself more oversight of major resource projects.Benjamin Lopez Steven and Meagan Gillmore,  Special to National Post, 20 Mar 2023Liberals to keep 'no more pipelines act' with amendments after Supreme Court rules it unconstitutionalThe Trudeau government has said it will make amendments to the Impact Assessment Act, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday because it goes beyond the federal government’s powers. However the government said it intends to keep the law in place.Ryan Tumilty, 13 Oct 2023