Protesters against Ottawa’s recent raise of the carbon tax are setting up a rally west of Calgary.
The event, organized by a group called Nationwide Protest Against Carbon Tax, is one of 15 happening across the country on Monday.
According to the group’s website, its goal is the “Immediate removal of the carbon tax, without replacement by any other form of taxation.”
The rally is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 22 near Cochrane.
As of 7:45 a.m., around a dozen RVs were set up beside the highway, and vehicles with Canada flags were assembling.
Several RCMP vehicles were also parked nearby.
The group’s website says it hopes to maintain at least one centre lane open for traffic and to continue the event until goals are achieved, “regardless of duration.”
The protests come as the federal government raised the price of carbon from $65 per tonne to $80 per tonne on April 1.
The tax hike has been a significant attack point for conservatives, and several premiers, including Alberta’s, have called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel the increase.
CTV News has reached out to the protest organizers and RCMP.
This is a developing story. More details to come…
