Alberta Appeal Court says federal environmental impact law not OK

The Alberta Court of Appeal says the federal government's environment impact law is unconstitutional.

The Alberta government, calling it a Trojan Horse, had challenged the Impact Assessment Act over what the province argued was its overreach into provincial powers.

The act lists activities that trigger an impact review and allows Ottawa to consider the effects of new resource projects on a range of environmental and social issues, including climate change.

Alberta had argued the law could use those concerns to greatly expand the range of federal oversight into areas of provincial jurisdiction.