Rural Municipalities of Alberta fear policy changes will cost them hundreds of millions of tax dollars, weaken rules over failing wells and hamstring regulatory authority
Alberta ’s United Conservative government is trying to increase production from the province’s declining conventional oil and gas fields at the expense of local tax bases, environmental oversight and the public interest, says the group representing rural municipalities.
“There is a risk that allowing assets to more easily be transferred … could result in assets being transferred to companies that are not well-positioned to operate them responsibly,” says a briefing document for association members provided to The Canadian Press. He said moves such as a three-year tax holiday on new wells and pipelines has already cost municipalities nearly $9 billion in reduced assessments. At the end of last year, municipalities were owed $252 million in unpaid property tax.“There are already challenges related to the review scope and process,” says the group’s document.
He said he’s voiced his concerns to Smith, Energy Minister Brian Jean, Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver and a parade of senior bureaucrats.
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