Taxpayers Federation slams province for awarding Inter Pipeline its third petrochemical subsidy

CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is slamming the Alberta government for awarding Inter Pipeline $408 million through the Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program, which is the third major subsidy the company has been awarded since 2016.

“At some point our politicians need to stop letting Inter Pipeline shove its snout further into the taxpayer trough,” said Franco Terrazzano, the CTF’s Alberta Director. “The fact that this company seems to need subsidy after subsidy should be a huge red flag for taxpayers.”

Today the Alberta government announced that it will be giving Inter Pipeline a $408-million grant through the APIP.

In 2019, Inter Pipeline was awarded up to $70 million through the government’s Petrochemical Diversification Program. This followed another $200 million that the government announced for the company in 2016.

The CTF obtained a leaked briefing note written by the finance department in 2015 warning the government that petrochemical subsidies “could benefit projects that would have gone ahead regardless of the incentives” and could encourage companies “to demand tailored support programs from Government in the future.”

“Premier Jason Kenney deserves credit for making Alberta business taxes one of the most competitive in North America, but this petrochemical corporate welfare program is a big step backwards,” said Terrazzano. “It’s time for Kenney to go back to lowering taxes and cutting red tape and stop playing investment banker with our tax dollars.”