The Trudeau Liberals announced today that the federal government will install a national carbon tax in 2018 if the provinces do not step up and do it themselves.
The ‘floor’ will start at $10 a ton and climb to $50 by 2022.
BC already has a $30 per ton tax, however it has not increased since 2012. BC’s carbon tax is revenue neutral, meaning any money taken in must be offset by other tax cuts, but the tax equates to an extra seven cents at the gas pumps.
Conservative Environment Critic Ed Fast called the move a “top down approach to governing”
“Not collaborating with the provinces and territories. Not understanding that each province, each territory has its unique characteristics, unique challenges.”
Environment Minister from across Canada were brought to Montreal today for the meeting prior to the announcement.
Saskatchewan and the territories remain completely opposed to the plan.
“The Yukon Environment Minister Currie Dixon says that when the Prime Minister announced the federal plan to impose a carbon tax, the air was sucked out of the room” Fast told the House of Commons
The provinces will have an option to install either a direct tax such as BC, or a cap and trade system like Quebec.