The oil patch province is giving its drivers a break.

The Alberta government will pause collection of its 13-cent per-litre provincial fuel tax on April 1.

That’s the day the federal carbon tax is to increase from just under 9-cents a-litre to just over 11-cents.

”Albertans told us they needed relief from rising costs.  We’ve heard them loud and clear,” says Premier Jason Kenney.

”That’s why today we are taking this bold action to soften the blow of inflation, especially on the cost of energy.”

The pause in tax collection will apply to gasoline and diesel fuel.

It will also apply to the 4-cent per-litre provincial fuel tax on marked gas and marked diesel.

Kenney says this will remain in effect as long as the benchmark price for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude remains above $90 U.S. per-barrel.

Collection of the Alberta fuel tax would resume once the price falls below $80 U.S.

The Kenney government will also provide $150 electricity rebates to families, farms and small businesses.