Sask. roadblock targets Alberta workers

Yet another brouhaha is bubbling between Alberta and Saskatchewan, this time over licence plates.

Saskatchewan Transportation Minister Dave Marit declared Wednesday that all Alberta contractors working on government highway and building projects in his province will have to get a local licence plate.

The new rule applies only to Albertans, Marit told reporters in Regina, because everyone else already has to pay a provincial sales tax. He also said he’s heard Saskatchewan contractors are being barred from Alberta work sites because they don’t have Wild Rose Country plates. Alberta Trade Minister Deron Bilous shot back Wednesday that Marit’s assertion was ridiculous.

There is no such rule, he said, and issued an ultimatum: Roll it back within a week, or Alberta will see you in court.

Bilous said the rule change is a clear contravention of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, a freetrade agreement between British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Marit acknowledged he got legal advice along those lines before he issued the directive. He also didn’t talk to anyone in Alberta first.

“This is simply levelling the playing field,” Marit said.

“There could be 10, 15, 20 different vehicles on a job site on a highway job.

“Now they’re going to have to have a Saskatchewan plate instead of an Alberta plate.”

Marit said that could mean the difference for Saskatchewan contractors whose bids come in close to two or three per cent higher than those from Alberta.

When asked if it was worth jeopardizing a trade deal over, Marit said “Sure.”

Bilous said the move “smacks of desperation.”

“This is coming from a premier who had a bad business budget, their economy is in the dumps, they’ve increased taxes, they’ve increased PST, now they think they have to go after Alberta workers,” Bilous said “(Saskatchewan Premier) Brad Wall needs to smarten up. He has one week to kill this ridiculous restriction or we’re going to be taking them to court.”