Pallister to outline plans for carbon levy cash

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This article was published 27/10/2017 (2960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Progressive Conservative government will signal on Friday how it plans to spend roughly $1.5 billion in anticipated accumulated revenues over the next five years from a federally mandated green tax.

Premier Brian Pallister wouldn’t give any hints on Thursday about what options the province is considering, although in the past he’s mused about mitigating increases in Hydro rates and ensuring farmers aren’t unduly affected by a levy on carbon.

“I want Manitobans to have the chance to decide how that money gets used and not give that decision to (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau,” Pallister said. “We will not use this as a revenue grab.”

Manitoba has until next year to come up with its own carbon pricing plan or see Ottawa impose one on it.

The federal government is requiring that every province implement a minimum $10-per-tonne price on carbon by the spring of 2018. The price has to rise by $10 per tonne per year until it hits $50 per tonne by 2022. Ottawa estimates that every $10 levy per tonne of emissions will add 2.33 cents to the cost of a litre of gasoline. The natural gas heating bill for the average single, detached home would rise by about $264 per year.

“We all have an obligation to do something (about climate change),” Pallister said on Thursday.

“Manitobans have accepted that for a long, long time.”

Manitoba will announce its climate change plan at a news conference at Oak Hammock Marsh this morning.

How closely it follows Ottawa’s requirements as to the initial tax rate and the timing and size of future increases is anyone’s guess.

The government is also expected to announce how frequently it will track and report on Manitoba greenhouse gas emissions.

Pallister refused on Thursday to speculate on the size of any GHG emission reduction targets that the province might set.

The province’s auditor general issued a scathing report on Wednesday about past government efforts in managing climate change control initiatives, citing gaps in “planning, monitoring and reporting processes.”

Pallister said a 2015 NDP plan to reduce emissions by 2030 would have required “more emission reductions than could be obtained by taking every gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle in Manitoba off the road.”

“That’s not an achievable plan, not a plan that recognizes the economic challenges and realities we have to face. We need a balanced plan that recognizes and respects that we have to grow our economy at the same time as we’re fighting the emissions challenges that are an aspect of climate change,” Pallister said.

The premier said that the government has worked for about a year on the announcement it will make today.

According to a Tory video, the plan will focus on four broad areas: climate, water, nature and jobs.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew said he’s looking for the PC government to set “real emissions targets” and “a credible plan to be able to meet them.”

Kinew said he also wants Pallister to announce measures to reduce the impact of a carbon levy on “working Manitobans.”

“What I would like to see happen is real help to Manitobans to deal with the affordability challenge,” he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca