Go it alone on coal ban?

Photo: Twitter

British Columbia's Liberal leader says she would take steps to ban thermal coal shipments through the province if the federal government doesn't act during a fight over softwood lumber tariffs imposed by the United States.

On the election campaign trail in Burnaby, Christy Clark said Ottawa has not yet responded to a letter she sent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking for a stop to American thermal coal passing through B.C. ports.

Clark said she expects Ottawa will act to keep "filthy" U.S. coal from reaching China in accordance with its climate-change agenda.

She says that otherwise, the province would go it alone and take measures such as imposing a heavy tax on coal shipments in an effort to stop them.

Clark made the comments in the midst of a softwood lumber dispute sparked when the United States imposed an average tariff of 20 per cent on Canadian softwood lumber, impacting jobs in forestry-dependent B.C.

The Liberal leader is campaigning for a second term in office as voters prepare to head to the polls May 9.