The Kenney UCP government has announced it will be seeking public input into its new greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan.
Under its new technology and emissions reduction system (TIER), large industrial emitters that produce carbon dioxide above allowable limits would be required to pay into a clean technology fund or purchase offset credits starting in 2020.
Coming on the heels of the government scrapping the previous NDP government’s carbon tax, the TIER project appears to be the provincial government’s attempt to forestall the federal government’s plan to bring a new carbon tax to Alberta.
Whether the Kenney plan will stop Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from going ahead with his carbon tax plan remains anyone’s guess.
What is known is that for the residents and companies operating in Alberta the impacts of the battle between the UCP and the federal Liberals will certainly be far reaching and long term.
For his part, Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Parks Jason Nixon says the TIER plan is much preferable to a federal carbon tax.
“TIER is a realistic and effective approach to addressing climate change that will reduce emissions and reassure investors,” said Nixon, who is also the MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre. “This system is the centrepiece of our government’s new provincial climate strategy which will focus on innovative and practical solutions instead of punishing Albertans with a punitive tax on heating their homes and driving their kids to soccer.”
Devin Dreeshen, minister of Agriculture and Forestry as well as MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, says the TIER plan will be good for the agricultural community.
“TIER will focus on helping them stay competitive with cutting-edge new technologies,” said Dreeshen. “Alberta is open for business and TIER is just one more way Alberta’s government is sending that message.”
As the Kenney government begins consultations on its TIER plan, the question remains: how likely is it that Justin Trudeau will now see things Jason’s Kenney’s way and drop plans for a federal carbon tax to be put in place in Alberta?
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
