Sask. backs away from plate ban
The Saskatchewan government is backing away from what it once described as the “perfect solution” to unsubstantiated concerns raised over contractor’s licence plates being banned in Alberta.
Economy Minister Steven Bonk wrote a letter to his Alberta counterpart Monday morning, saying Saskatchewan will suspend its policy of not allowing Alberta licence plates to work on Saskatchewan highways and infrastructure projects.
Its reasons for doing so appear to be unrelated to the rationale for imposing the ban in the first place.
Bonk told reporters the move should be of “no surprise to anyone” because the government said it would retaliate against Alberta for a beer policy in that province.
The two provinces are engaged in a trade battle over beer. On that front, Alberta’s policy of marking up prices for out-of-province beers was found to be in violation of the New West Partnership.
Alberta is appealing that decision.
In his letter, Bonk wrote that he welcomed recent public comments from Bilous stating changes to the beer policy would be made if the appeal fails.
First announced in December, Saskatchewan’s Highways Minister David Marit said then that the policy of banning Alberta licence plates from government job sites was the “perfect solution” to concerns from contractors over not being able to have Saskatchewan plates on Alberta job sites.
He told reporters he had not spoken to anyone in the Alberta government about the issue prior to putting the ban in place.
To this point, only the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association has supported the province’s claim there are concerns over Saskatchewan plates being banned in Alberta.
No proof or further details about Alberta’s alleged ban have been provided by the province or industry association. Calls to heavy construction companies in western Saskatchewan have been unsuccessful in finding anyone who has experienced a ban in Alberta.
Asked why that is the case on Monday, Bonk said, “Companies are afraid to come forward because they’re afraid to be retaliated against.” HOURS BEFORE ARBITRATION
Bonk’s letter arrived hours before an arbitration panel under the New West Partnership (NWP) was set to begin deliberations on the licence plate ban.
Alberta initiated that review process, available under the partnership agreement, arguing the ban was a clear violation of interprovincial free trade rules.
When the ban was announced, Marit admitted it “could be” in violation of that agreement.
On Monday Bonk said the province had “solid evidence” it wasn’t in violation of the agreement.
Asked what that evidence was, Bonk said, “That gets back to the Saskatchewan companies that we haven’t named.”
Despite Alberta officials never saying they would not abide by the pending ruling on whether tax changes and subsidies for Alberta craft brewers violate interprovincial free-trade rules, Bonk told reporters Bilous’ comments saying as much were “absolutely a victory” for Saskatchewan because “we’ve heard (Alberta) say that they will not back down.”
Asked specifically where that had been heard, Bonk said the Alberta government had inferred it.
With Saskatchewan dropping its ban, the unsubstantiated concern over Alberta banning Saskatchewan licence plates remains an open one for the government.
Regarding that, Bonk said, “The perfect solution is to abide the rules of free trade, so for the two ministers to sit down to discuss their issues openly and to make sure there’s a best solution for both parties.”