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Saskatchewan lifts Alberta licence plate ban

Jan 22, 2018 | 11:46 AM

 

WHITECOURT, AB — The licence plate fight between Alberta and Saskatchewan has ended.

According to Deron Bilous, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, the province has lifted its ban on Alberta licence plates on work sites in that province via letter on Monday, hours before the issue’s deadline. If the law wasn’t rescinded before midnight, it would enter binding arbitration under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement.

“This is good news for Alberta companies and workers and, frankly for workers and companies on both sides of the border,” Bilous said during a conference call in Whitecourt. “We want Alberta businesses and their workers to be able to earn a good living for themselves and their families, and that’s why we fought back against the ridiculous policy.

“Saskatchewan did the right thing and dropped their discriminatory restriction, and again, this is good news on both sides of the border.”

Saskatchewan had imposed the ban in December, saying it was in response to similar actions in Alberta. The NDP has repeatedly denied the law exists.

Bilous says he believes Saskatchewan made the correct decision in lifting the ban.

“I believe Saskatchewan knows – again, Brad Wall being one of the lead negotiators of the New West Partnership Agreement – that Saskatchewan was offside on this, and they were going to lose if it came to the tribunal,” he said.

“So, they’ve done the right thing in the 11th hour -today being the deadline – to rescind the restriction.”

Saskatchewan gave no reason in the letter for why they listed the ban.

The two sides are still scheduled to meet on January 31 to discuss interprovincial trade. Alberta is still hoping for the meeting to take place in Lloydminster, while Saskatchewan is aiming to have the meeting in Medicine Hat, noting travel to the city from Regina is easier. A decision on the location has yet to be made.