Alberta Maintains Fuel Tax Despite Federal Relief Measures Alberta's Finance Minister confirms the province will keep its fuel tax in place for now, even as the federal government introduces a temporary excise tax cut on gasoline and diesel. The province cites the volatility of oil prices and its existing tax relief program as reasons for its decision, while the opposition urges immediate action to lower costs for consumers. While Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled federal relief measures for Canadians struggling with fuel costs on Tuesday, the province of Alberta has indicated that its provincial fuel tax will remain in place for the time being. Alberta's Finance Minister, Nate Horner, expressed support for Ottawa's initiative but stated that the province will maintain its current fuel tax structure, at least until July. This decision is partly influenced by the inherent volatility of oil prices, Horner explained. He also pointed out that the province's absence of a provincial sales tax should be considered when evaluating tax relief measures. Alberta's existing relief program is designed to suspend the 13-cent-per-litre tax if the average benchmark price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil stays at or above US$90 per barrel during specified periods in May and June. The leader of Alberta's Opposition NDP, Naheed Nenshi, has been actively urging Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives to eliminate the provincial fuel tax. Nenshi cited the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East, which began in late February, as a significant factor that has disrupted global oil shipments and driven up energy prices. He argued that the province needs to demonstrate greater agility in responding to extraordinary price fluctuations. Nenshi accused the provincial government of accumulating windfall royalty revenues instead of providing immediate relief to Albertans. He stated that the government is unwilling to act despite a 40-cent-per-litre increase in gas prices within a single month, characterizing this as an abnormal situation. He further suggested that the government prioritizes accumulating funds to offset its substantial deficit over effectively managing public finances. The province of Manitoba is currently dedicating a month to assess whether the prevailing high fuel prices necessitate a reduction in its own gas tax. Alberta's budget for 2025-26, which was tabled just two days prior to the commencement of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, projected a deficit of $9.4 billion. This deficit projection is partly based on an anticipated average West Texas Intermediate price of US$60.50 per barrel for the 2026 fiscal year, which commenced on April 1. Alberta's provincial budget is significantly dependent on oil revenue, with each one-dollar fluctuation in the budgeted WTI price translating to an impact of $680 million for the province over the course of a year. During legislative proceedings on Tuesday, Nenshi reiterated his call for Premier Smith's UCP government to take action on the fuel tax, estimating that the average family could save over $300 annually. Some Albertans have expressed optimism regarding the federal tax break, which is expected to reduce gasoline prices by 10 cents per litre and diesel prices by four cents per litre. As reported by Tristan Mottershead of CBC, a portion of the public desires to see the Alberta government also suspend its provincial tax. Premier Smith, however, opted to highlight her government's achievements, including the implementation of a personal income tax cut that has resulted in annual savings of $1,500 for many two-income households. She acknowledged experiencing empathy for individuals grappling with the escalating cost of living. The temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax is scheduled to commence on Monday and is projected to provide savings of 10 cents per litre on regular gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel to Canadians until Labour Day. Data from the Canadian Automobile Association's gas price tracker indicated that the average cost of gasoline across the country on Tuesday was $1.73 per litre, an increase of more than 40 cents compared to the previous year. Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean, speaking at an unrelated news conference on Tuesday, deferred questions regarding the provincial gas tax to Finance Minister Horner. However, he also commented that Albertans are generally in a more advantageous financial position today compared to individuals in other jurisdictions due to global economic factors. Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision involves a temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel