Environmental watchdog slams Sask. First Act, warns it could jeopardize UN pledges

The Saskatchewan Environmental Society has taken a firm stance against the proposed Bill 88, also known as the Saskatchewan First Act. 

The provincial government introduced the bill last fall, calling it an assertion of exclusive provincial jurisdiction over natural resources and other rights. While it has passed second reading, the act is not yet law.

Peter Prebble, an SES board member, said the group is concerned about language in the bill that could be used to block federal government initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

"The Saskatchewan government is essentially saying it wants exclusive authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in each sector of the Saskatchewan economy," Prebble said. 

"That is a major change from the current tradition, which essentially is the Government of Canada and each provincial government sharing jurisdiction with respect to setting environmental standards."

Prebble said SES is "very concerned" Saskatchewan will end up having weaker regulations for GHG emissions than other jurisdictions in the country.

He added that could affect Canada's United Nations commitment to reduce nationwide GHG emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. 

Province touts 'strong record' on environment

Provincial justice minister Bronwyn Eyre addressed the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce regarding Bill 88 at a hotel lunch presentation on Wednesday. 

Speaking with media afterward, Eyre touted Saskatchewan's current plans to reduce GHG emissions.

"On the environmental side, we have a very proud record," Eyre said. "We are very sustainable in what we do, very innovative."

Eyre used the example of the province's methane action plan released in January 2019 that aims to reduce methane emissions by 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually by 2025. 

According to the plan, total methane emission reductions between 2020-2030 will be at least 38.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The SES acknowledged that while the province has environmental regulations and emissions targets, it doesn't believe they are ambitious enough. 

"In pursuing Bill 88, the Saskatchewan government is ignoring the warnings of the UN Secretary General and the scientific community on the urgency of reducing GHG emissions," Prebble said. 

The provincial government released Prairie Resilience, a "made-in-Saskatchewan" climate change strategy in 2017, with more than 40 commitments to address climate change.

The government has targets for reducing greenhouse gas emission in some specific sectors of the Saskatchewan economy, but doesn't have a provincial goal for 2030.

Not 'carving out' new powers: Eyre

Eyre also stressed Wednesday the Saskatchewan First Act is not about exclusive jurisdiction over GHG emissions. 

"It's exclusive jurisdiction over the production, the exploration, the management of natural resources and also power generation," she said.

Eyre noted several times the language surrounding exclusive jurisdiction is directly from Section 92A of the Constitutional Act of 1867 — which already gives Saskatchewan jurisdiction over its natural resources. 

"This isn't about carving out any new powers," Eyre said. 

"This isn't new language, exclusive jurisdiction. This is about protecting the people of the province, the economy of the province, from policies that lead to economic harm."

Concerns over language within the act have also been brought forward by Indigenous leaders.

In December, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations vowed protest action if the province moved ahead with the legislation.

"We have mandates from the chiefs in assembly to move forward legally [and] politically," FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said on Dec. 16, 2022.

"We're about to the point where we're going to start blockading."

The Saskatchewan First Act is one of several recent moves by the provincial government to assert more autonomy, which also include the possible creation of a new police force and new method of collecting taxes.