The effect of carbon pricing measures on the rising cost of living across Canada is slated to take centre stage at this week害羞草研究所檚 meeting of the country害羞草研究所檚 premiers and territorial leaders in Halifax.

That focus comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last month a three-year pause on carbon pricing for home fuel oil, along with the expansion of a grant program to help some lower-income Canadians cover the cost of installing heat pumps.

The relief is applicable only to the 10 jurisdictions where federal fuel charges apply, with British Columbia, Quebec and the Northwest Territories excluded because they collect their own fuel tax.

Speaking from Halifax ahead of the meetings, British Columbia Premier David Eby said such unequal distribution of cost relief is unfair.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 begrudge Atlantic Canadians the ability to get off home heating oil and not to have to endure those huge bills that come when the fuel truck shows up,害羞草研究所� Eby said at a news conference. 害羞草研究所淏ut I sure am unhappy that there害羞草研究所檚 not a clear path yet for British Columbia on co-delivery of free heat pumps for British Columbians that are in the exact same situation.害羞草研究所�

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also took aim at the carbon tax in a written statement issued ahead of the meeting, calling on the federal government to 害羞草研究所渄o the right thing害羞草研究所� and cut the item outright across Canada.

害羞草研究所淎s people continue to grapple with higher costs of living, it害羞草研究所檚 time for the federal government to work with provinces to tackle inflation,害羞草研究所� Ford said.

害羞草研究所淭his includes providing fairness to all Canadians regardless of how they heat their home. People across the country are struggling, and everyone deserves a break.害羞草研究所�

The premiers are gathering Sunday and Monday in Halifax for the Council of the Federation meetings, where discussions will also likely venture into topics such as bail reform, health care and Alberta害羞草研究所檚 proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan.

This week害羞草研究所檚 meeting in Halifax is the first for newly elected Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who tweeted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that the talks will focus on 害羞草研究所渇ixing health care and lowering costs害羞草研究所� for families.

The press secretary for Quebec Premier Francois Legault said he won害羞草研究所檛 be able to attend the meeting due to a 害羞草研究所渟cheduling conflict.害羞草研究所� Monday also coincides with a strike day in Quebec, with over 400,000 public sector workers set to walk off the job in the first of a series of one-day strikes.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said ahead of the meetings that health care is the main formal agenda item.

Houston said the discussions will focus on health care innovations in hopes of producing ideas that can help provinces address the problems plaguing the health system.

He said one of his priorities is a discussion on the recruitment of health professionals and whether provinces should be competing with one another for the same pool of available workers.

Houston said he害羞草研究所檚 asked his health department to stop recruiting in other provinces, adding 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 a big world with lots of qualified people.害羞草研究所�

Eby, meanwhile, said British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 priorities at the meetings include working with other provinces and territories to 害羞草研究所渕ake sure that we害羞草研究所檙e not cannibalizing each other害羞草研究所檚 staff害羞草研究所� and to co-ordinate training and hiring of medical staff.

He added B.C.害羞草研究所檚 priorities will also include housing, which plays into the province害羞草研究所檚 cost-of-living challenges.

害羞草研究所淭here are a number of different initiatives where we害羞草研究所檙e looking for greater levels of federal support,害羞草研究所� Eby said.

害羞草研究所淚 believe that there害羞草研究所檚 huge opportunities for the federal government to work better with us on housing, to work better with us on delivery of a whole array of programs in that area, and as well to work with us on public safety.害羞草研究所�

Ford said in his statement that, in addition to health care, labour shortages are also present in other sectors that require the federal government to ensure immigration policies are attracting skilled workers.

Ford also identified economic infrastructure and boosting the domestic supply chain as topics needing more federal support.