Alberta is moving to turn its ambitious climate-change plan
into law with the introduction of legislation to tax purchases of all fossil
fuels, including gasoline and natural gas.
Bill 20, introduced on Tuesday, is one of the first major
steps by the Alberta government to formalize grand plans unveiled last
November, when it announced a sweeping climate-change plan meant to
significantly reduce or cap the province’s greenhouse-gas emissions.
Improving Alberta’s environmental reputation is seen as
crucial by the NDP government and some energy industry leaders, who believe
that the strategy will help attract investment in the oil and gas sector, put
greater emphasis on technology and renewable energy and win support to build
one or more new pipelines to Canadian coasts.
