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Bill C-69 becomes law, UCP vows legal action

Last Updated Aug 29, 2019 at 10:05 am MDT

Pro-pipeline supporters rally outside a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources regarding Bill C-69 in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Environment advocates say Canadian senators are bowing to pressure from the energy industry to gut the government's environmental assessment legislation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – It’s official, Bill C-69 has been proclaimed law in Canada.

The bill which critics labelled the ‘No More Pipelines Act’ will change how major energy projects are reviewed and approved in Canada and has received heavy criticism from the oil and gas sector and several provincial governments.

In a statement released Wednesday night, the UCP said “This is a dark day for Alberta and Canada as a whole. As we have said loudly and repeatedly, this act is an unconstitutional attack on Alberta and our vital economic interests.”

The statement also said the government will take its fight to Ottawa and launch a constitutional challenge against C-69.

In June the bill passed through the Senate with a vote of 164-56. The Senate had proposed nearly 200 amendments to the bill, the majority of which were rejected.

READ MORETrudeau government to reject amendments to C69: report

“I cannot believe that a Prime Minister would be prepared to push forward a bill that strikes at the heart of Canadian unity and at the same time the economy of Canada. That’s just unprecedented, that bill needs to die,” said Energy Minister Sonya Savage shortly after the bill passed.

Premier Jason Kenney also spoke at that time, repeating his stance that Alberta is being treated unfairly.

“Albertans cannot be expected to continue to pay the freight in the Canadian federation if the same federation continues to block our ability to develop and get a fair price for our resources.”

Kenney repeated his stance that a referendum on equalization payments could come by October 2021.

Right now, there’s no clear date to when the UCP will launch its legal challenge, especially with the Federal Election slated for October.

Kenney hopes Canadians will elect a government that will immediately repeal Bill C-69.