Momentum continues to build for the carbon tax protest being staged near the Petro-Canada/A&W restaurant at the Hwy. 22-TransCanada interchange south of Cochrane.

About 40 people arrived the night before, some who attended earlier protests in Red Deer and Olds. Already this morning there are hundreds of people at the staging area and more arriving with every given minute.

 

It's part of the Nationwide Protest Against Carbon Tax that calls for the abolishment of the carbon tax and comes on a day when Albertans face the double whammy of the carbon tax increase and end of the Alberta fuel tax relief program. The price of regular gas in Cochrane rose by about 13 cents overnight and is reported to be as high as $1.67 per litre.

The protesters intend to say as long as their goals are achieved, and at least one portable toilet was trucked into the location earlier this morning. Some came with truck campers and supplies. Many of them are waving flags and placards voicing displeasure over the Trudeau government and the tax.

"There's a lot of people here already, a lot of people here from Ottawa and Coutts, so they're ready to stay," said a man at the protest.

"We're here to inform people on axe the tax. People are getting hit hard with this tax. It's unacceptable. While they all get raises, we're getting taxed.

"People that are going by on the highway have to realize what's going on. They can't just say, well, what are they guys doing over there with the flags? We have to let them know what's going on, so we have to have signs placed strategically so they can understand."

Some lanes of the TransCanada are now being closed and organizers say they will leave at least one lane open for traffic. The RCMP have several officers on site monitoring the situation and are encouraging people to avoid the area.