The provincial government is taking the next step in their fight against Ottawa's carbon tax.

Wednesday, they filed a constitutional challenge in the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal over the federal government’s proposed carbon tax. The question is if the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which was introduced into Parliament on March 28th, is constitutional in whole, or in part.

Premier Scott Moe, during a press conference Wednesday, stated he doesn’t believe the federal government can force the carbon tax on Saskatchewan.

“We do not believe the federal government has the constitutional right to impose this carbon tax on Saskatchewan industries, jobs, and families,” Moe said.

Moe pledged to stand by the white paper on climate change the provincial government introduced in December of last year. He said the plan doesn’t include a carbon tax, which he explained would have long-lasting negative impacts on the provincial economy.

"We must also remember the cost to the economy if we were to stand by idly and allow this cost to be on the economic growth of our province of Saskatchewan understanding the industries we have here," he stated.

The provincial Justice Minister, Don Morgan, said the best place to resolve the matter is in the courts.

"We want to put forward what we believe is a very strong argument and we have every confidence our lawyers will be successful," he said.

Morgan also shared they will be using staff lawyers in the case to save some money.

"So it's people that are working for us right now," he explained. "No doubt there is a cost to do this but right now we're doing it internally."

The federal government sets a starting price at $10 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions this year and plan to escalate to $50 per tonne in 2022. The money collected by the tax would go back to the province.

--with files from Swift Current Online