Atlantic premiers brace for fuel price jump expected to 'unfairly impact' region

The "alarming" effect a rise in the price of fuel expected in a few weeks will have on the region was among the top issues discussed during a meeting of Atlantic premiers Monday in Mill River, P.E.I.

Canadians can expect to pay more for petroleum products when new Clean Fuel Regulations from the federal government take effect in July — the same month Prince Edward Islanders will see rising heating oil, propane, gas and diesel prices due to the federal carbon tax taking effect.

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King pointed out that a federal watchdog recently said tax changes are expected to push the price of home heating fuel alone up 17 cents per litre by the year 2030 in the Atlantic region, though neither federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault nor anyone else in the federal government has provided an exact figure.  

"The parliamentary budget officer did say that Atlantic Canada would be unfairly impacted by these clean fuel regulations. That is alarming to us," King said.

"We've been asking to find out what the impacts would be. The minister himself said there would be impacts here but they don't know to which degree."

The premiers are once again calling on the Liberal government in Ottawa to delay the planned increase as travel ramps up for the summer tourist season. But so far, they have been unsuccessful.

"We feel that every time somebody stands up — and in particular a Progressive Conservative premier — and says: 'Can we delay the implementation here?' that the immediate response is 'You're just a climate change denier, you don't believe in climate change,'" said King.

"And that is a total, erroneous argument to make when you look at what we've been doing in Prince Edward Island, what we've been doing in the region." 

No more delays, minister says

In a statement to CBC News on Monday, Guilbeault said the regulations have already been delayed for two years at the request of Atlantic premiers, and it cannot wait any longer. 

"Climate change is here and its impacts are costing Canadian households more every year. Delayed climate action is resulting in more frequent and intense forest fires, storms, and heat waves that are wreaking havoc on people's livelihoods and communities," the environment minister's statement said.

It said the Clean Fuel Regulations, which require gas and diesel suppliers to gradually reduce the amount of pollution from the fuels they produce and sell for use in Canada, will deliver about eight per cent of emissions reductions needed to achieve Canada's 2030 target.

"To be clear, these regulations do not require fuel price increases this year, and will have only a marginal impact on prices as they increase in stringency through 2030," Guilbeault said.

Physician registry could be expanded

Along with the price of fuel, the premiers discussed immigration, infrastructure and health-care challenges. 

The premiers discussed the Atlantic Physician Registry, a program King described as being successful so far. It allows doctors to practise throughout the region without needing to apply for a different licence in each province.

King said he would like to see the program expand to nurses and other health-care professionals, and is also open to the idea of opening it up to other provinces. 

King says Ontario, in particular, is interested.