Licence Plate Ban Lifted – What was That About?

 

By Brittany Da Silva

 

In December 2017, it was reported that the Saskatchewan government banned Alberta licence plates on road construction sites. Even stranger was the fact that Deron Bilous, Alberta’s Economic Development Minister, had to find this out through the media. Bilous’ office tried to reach out to the trade minister of Saskatchewan, as well as the infrastructure transport minister, but neither returned their calls.

 

Strangely, it wasn’t until Alberta threatened to take Saskatchewan to court that they received any response at all. Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan, defended the ban, explaining that he didn’t believe it violated Western trade agreements, as it is the same treatment Saskatchewan contractors receive when they work in Alberta.

 

David Marit, Saskatchewan Infrastructure Minister, also suggested that Saskatchewan workers feel pressured to register their vehicles in Alberta if they choose to engage in construction projects across the border. Bilous immediately discredited Marit’s statement, explaining that Saskatchewan contractors who choose to work in Alberta are in no way obligated to change plates or register their vehicles in Alberta.

 

Once Saskatchewan chose to ignore Alberta’s threats to go to court over this issue, Bilous filed a trade injunction against Saskatchewan to the New West Trade Agreement Secretariat. If found guilty of violating the agreement, Saskatchewan would face a fine up to $5 million. If they back down within 30 days, Saskatchewan faces no penalties.

 

Saskatchewan has been largely unable to provide any credible reasoning for their ban, citing complaints by Saskatchewan’s Heavy Construction Association and the fact that Alberta does not have a PST. When Alberta reached out for more information, in order to rectify the issue with those making complaints, Saskatchewan was unwilling to provide any names. Lloydminster Construction Association, which exists on the boarder of Alberta and Saskatchewan, seemed largely confused by the licence plate ban, as they had no evidence of contractors from Saskatchewan having to register their vehicles in Alberta before working.

 

Service Alberta clarified current licensing requirements stating that a non-resident of Alberta must register their vehicle if it is in Alberta for over six months, but this rule does not apply to commercial vehicles and trucks.

 

On January 22, 2018, on the last day of their 30 day grace period, Saskatchewan finally lifted their original licence plate ban. Steven Bonk, Saskatchewan Trade Minister, stated that the ban was suspended as a measure of good faith, since Alberta seems willing to negotiate mark-ups on beer and alcohol pricing within the province. Despite never mentioning this reasoning within their original ban, Bonk suggested that this was the plan all along. As this case has been completely baffling from start to finish, many suspect that the licence plate ban is just the latest in a continued political feud between Alberta’s left-wing NDP government and Saskatchewan’s right-leaning PC government.