Nova Scotia Buzz
It looks like Nova Scotia could be joining other Canadian provinces in 2023 and have a federal carbon tax imposed on emissions.
Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservative government released a plan of environmental goals earlier in August that included phasing out coal-fired power generation and promising to have 80% of Nova Scotia’s energy provided by renewable sources by 2030.
That plan isn’t good enough for the federal government as it doesn’t put a price on carbon, but they remain open to alternatives from Nova Scotia.
Houston says that a carbon tax in Nova Scotia would add 14.4 cents per litre to the price of gasoline in the province.
The provinces paying the fuel charge component of the federal system saw approximately eight out of 10 residents get more money back than they paid.
According to Federal Environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault, Nova Scotians would receive Climate Action Incentive payments by quarterly cheque totaling hundreds of dollars per year. Rural Canadians receive an extra 10%. Special provisions are made for farmers.
Guilbeault says in a letter to Premier Houston published by the Chronicle Herald, the federal government is committed to ensuring the same carbon pricing incentives to reduce emissions are in place in Nova Scotia and across Canada.
