The Manitoba government decided not to appeal a court ruling that said the federal government has the right to impose a carbon price on the provinces.
Instead, Premier Heather Stefanson hopes for a more amicable negotiation with Ottawa than her predecessor, Brian Pallister.
“This is an opportunity, I think, for us to push the restart with the federal government and have a more collaborative relationship with them,” Stefanson said Wednesday.
“From the conversations I have had so far with the prime minister, I am cautiously optimistic that we will be able to reach some agreement that will obviously be in the best interest of the people of Manitoba.”
Pallister planned in 2018 to have a fixed price of $ 25 per ton on carbon. That was lower than the minimum escalation level set by the federal government, but Pallister said Manitoba deserved credit for the billions of dollars spent on clean hydro projects, which utility customers continue to pay.
Pallister said Manitoba’s emissions plan, which included wetland improvements and subsidies for fuel efficiency in the trucking industry, could meet or exceed federal emissions targets without imposing a high carbon tax.
Ottawa imposed a “backup” carbon price on provinces that did not meet its demands and promised to return the money, mainly to individuals through income tax rebates.
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Manitoba took the matter to Federal Court and lost last month.
Stefanson did not provide any indication that Ottawa has softened its demand or agreed to give Manitoba a discount for its energy development.
“I think those discussions are ongoing. I’m not going to reveal that at this time.”
The #Manitoba premier says she will end the court dispute and negotiate the carbon price with Ottawa. #MBPoli #CarbonPrice
Opposition NDP leader Wab Kinew said Manitoba should reach an agreement with Ottawa and come up with its own carbon pricing plan.
“Spending money on senseless court battles is doing nothing to solve the climate crisis,” he said.
The price of carbon in Canada started in 2019 at $ 20 a ton and is projected to rise to $ 170 a ton by 2030. The current price of $ 40 a ton adds about 8.8 cents a liter to gasoline, or around $ 3.50 more for a 40-liter fill. of a car.
This Canadian Press report was first published on November 17, 2021.
Reference-www.nationalobserver.com