REGINA—Alberta says Saskatchewan has one week to revoke its ban on Alberta licence plates at Saskatchewan job sites or face court action under free trade rules.

And Alberta Economic Development Minister Deron Bilous says Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall needs to “smarten up.”

Bilous made the comments just hours after the Saskatchewan government announced that any new contracts for government work on buildings and highways require any and all worker vehicles to not have Alberta plates.

Saskatchewan Infrastructure Minister David Marit says it’s in response to complaints from its workers that Alberta has already put in similar restrictions.

Ministry staff will enforce the provision through job-site monitoring.

Bilous says there is no such restriction on Saskatchewan plates, and he says Wall is desperately trying to deflect attention from a sagging provincial economy.

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