Saskatchewan organizations tell Ottawa carbon tax will hurt Western Canada

Three groups are asking the federal government to not implement a countrywide carbon tax.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and the United Steelworkers union Local 5890 have sent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a letter outlining how a federal carbon tax will hurt Western Canada.

The federal government is proposing a carbon price of $10 per tonne in 2018 that would rise to $50 per tonne by 2022.

Todd MacKay, the Prairie director for the federation, says a carbon tax will mean less money for working Canadians.

Union spokesman Courtland Klein says many industries have not been given a chance to show their commitment to reducing Canada's carbon footprint.

Shantel Lipp, president of the construction association, says there are no alternative fuel sources for their industry.

"A lot of the construction camps are powered off propane. The equipment, the construction asphalt plants, the crushing plants, all of that is powered off diesel and there are no alternative fuel sources," she said.