Alberta government launches ad campaign against incoming federal emissions cap [Video]

Alberta’s government has launched a national ad campaign targeting the federal government’s incoming emissions cap for the oil and gas sector.

Premier Danielle Smith says it’s a de facto production cap that would kill jobs and stifle the economy.

The province’s $7-million “Scrap the Cap” campaign also says the federal regulations expected later this year would make groceries, gas and all of life’s necessities even more expensive.

University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe says he believes the emissions cap is bad policy, but the argument that it would drive up gas, and therefore grocery, prices is a weak one.

Tombe says gasoline prices would not go up as a result of the cap because they are largely determined by taxes, retail markups and margins, and global oil prices.

He says it also isn’t necessarily a production cap if the sector is able to achieve emission reductions, as some industry groups have promised.