The NDP government says its Alberta Climate Leadership Plan will help create jobs, diversify the economy and reduce harmful emissions.
The United Conservative Party (UCP) says the plan is badly faulted and will cost jobs.
Whether Rachel Notley will be able to shake off the renewed Jason Kenney attacks on the plan remains to be seen.
What is known is that both sides are staking a great deal of political capital on the issue, which promises to be a long and drawn out fight to the finish.
As part of the plan, the carbon levy increased this month from $20 per tonne to $30 per tonne. The government says the resulting revenues will be used for the benefit of Alberta’s economy and environment.
Shannon Phillips, the minister of environment and parks, is responsible for the Climate Change Office. She calls the plan great for all Albertans.
"Our government is committed to leading policy development, not taking policy direction from Ottawa,” said Phillips. "Our made-in-Alberta Climate Leadership Plan works for Albertans and Alberta’s economy.
"Since 2015, our plan has supported mortgage-paying jobs, built an entirely new and long overdue energy efficiency industry, and put a meaningful dent in emissions reductions. We will continue to protect Alberta’s health, wealth and growth in 2018.”
Many households will receive carbon levy rebates in 2018, she noted.
For his part, Jason Kenney says the plan will cost jobs and damage the economy.
"The carbon tax is all economic pain with no environmental gain,” said Kenney. "As the architect of the NDP’s carbon tax plan himself admitted, the tax drives emissions to jurisdictions that do not have a carbon tax.
"Albertans understand this: despite the government spending millions of tax dollars trying to buy support for their carbon tax, polls consistently show high disapproval for the NDP’s plan.”
Kenney says if the UCP forms government in 2019 it will immediately introduce a "Carbon Tax Repeal Act.”
Welcome to the 2018 Alberta Carbon Leadership Plan War.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
