Premier Danielle Smith invoked the act to oppose Ottawa’s proposed requirements for achieving a net-zero electricity grid by 2035.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith invoked her province’s new sovereignty act for the first time on Nov. 27 to oppose Ottawa’s proposed requirements for achieving a net-zero electricity grid by 2035. The province says the requirements impact the reliable supply of electrical power and increase costs, and that the federal government is infringing on provincial jurisdiction.

In a motion tabled in the provincial legislature under the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, the Alberta government asks legislators to reject the constitutional validity of Ottawa’s Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) and use legal means to oppose the measure.

The motion asks that provincial officials and regulators not enforce the feds’ 2035 requirements “to the extent legally permissible,” and proposes exploring the feasibility of creating a provincial Crown corporation to ensure reliable electricity generation in case private generators fail to supply the volume needed under the new federal regulations.