Alberta, Saskatchewan to meet on licence plate dispute, but can’t agree on site
EDMONTON — Alberta and Saskatchewan have a date for a meeting to discuss their trade issues, but Alberta says it will come too late to resolve a standoff over licence plates.
Alberta Economic Development Minister Deron Bilous says Saskatchewan has agreed to meet on Jan. 31 — more than a week after a Jan. 22 deadline for Saskatchewan to reverse its ban on Alberta licence plates at its job sites.
If not, Bilous said, a panel under the New West trade partnership takes over the dispute and can’t be stopped until it makes a ruling that could cost Saskatchewan up to $5 million in penalties.
Alberta filed the legal challenge under the partnership last month. The province argued the plate ban clearly violates free-trade rules agreed to by the four western provinces.