B.C. planning legislation that could toll trucks travelling to Alaska, Eby says

British Columbia is hitting back at economic threats from the United States by introducing tools to impose fees on U.S. truck traffic travelling through the province on the way to Alaska.

Premier David Eby said the tolls may not be used, but warned that Canada needs to have tools available to fight the threat of tariffs coming from President Donald Trump until he backs down from his plans altogether.

Eby made the announcement on the lawn of the Legislative Assembly building in Victoria, which had been draped with a large Canadian flag, while members of his party chanted "Canada" in the background.

Eby said he was responding to an "unprecedented threat" from the United States, which he characterized as U.S. President Donald Trump wanting to "erase our border."

"He wants to annex Canada and turn us into the 51st state," Eby said. "That is a threat."

The premier said he was unmoved by news that had come just moments earlier that 25 per cent tariffs on some Canadian goods sold into the United States had once again been placed on pause, this time until April 2, saying B.C. and Canada should not let up until the threat was removed altogether.

"It's all a deliberate tactic to weaken our resolve, and it will not work," he said.

"This is unacceptable, and we're going to ensure that the Americans understand how pissed off we are, how unified we are, how committed we are to working as a country to stand up for each other," Eby said. "And I say we don't let up until the president takes the threat off the table."

Eby said that legislation will be introduced in the coming days, allowing the province to levy fees onto commercial trucks moving through the province to and from Alaska.

The premier says he would also be introducing legislation giving the province the ability to remove interprovincial trade barriers between provinces and territories and mandating that low-carbon fuels added to gasoline and diesel be produced in Canada. 

He also reiterated actions the province has already taken, including removing alcohol from Republican-leaning states from B.C. Liquor Store shelves, de-prioritizing U.S. contractors on government contract bids, and fast-tracking the process through which energy and resource projects are vetted for approval in order to improve the province's self-reliance and trade relationships with other nations.

Eby says the tariffs imposed by Trump are a profound mistake and are hurting families on both sides of the border, and his team is working hard to ensure the province comes out stronger on the other side. 

 "Trump thinks he can bring us to our knees by threatening tariffs. Well, what he is seeing is that Canadians are standing tall [with] one voice."

Eby did not share the details of how the new legislation will work.