Alberta Challenges Revised Federal Impact Assessment Act in Court

Alberta is taking the Federal Government to court once again over its controversial Impact Assessment Act. This marks the latest chapter in a long-standing jurisdictional battle between the province and Ottawa over issues related to natural resources and the environment.

The province scored a major victory against Ottawa in 2023 when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that large sections of the Impact Assessment Act violated the constitution. The federal government scrambled to revise the legislation and passed it as part of an omnibus budget bill in June.

Premier Danielle Smith argues that the revised legislation still oversteps federal authority, calling it “deeply flawed and unconstitutional.” She says the Trudeau Government has resisted input from the provinces on the Act and vowed her government will not back down.

The provincial government has referred the matter to the Alberta Court of Appeals for a ruling, though most legal experts and political observers predict the case will ultimately land back before the Supreme Court of Canada.