OTTAWA: NB, As promised, the final version of New Brunswick’s carbon pricing program won’t add an additional tax to consumers.
In a plan released by the government just days before a federal deadline, Premier Brian Gallant stood by a promise he made in October to consider consumers’ wallets when designing the program.
Instead of creating a new tax, the levy to help Canada meet its emissions goals under the Paris Agreement will be taken from fuel and diesel taxes already in place in the province.
The money will be diverted into a climate change fund designed to help industry emitters reduce their carbon footprint.
Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association called the approach a great move for Gallant, applauding him for introducing a program that wasn’t a “cash grab.”
“It will capture a carbon price and at the same time will not buckle the industry or the general public with another tax. Since we have the highest diesel tax in the country, we feel that this is a great approach showing a good vision by the premier,” he said.
Industrial performance standards set out and administered by the federal government for large producers of greenhouse gases (GHG) will also be implemented as part of the plan.
The program will work closely with facilities producing 50,000 metric tons of GHG annually and these industries will be captured in the performance standards set out.
The government said it is estimating that more than 400 jobs could be created as a result of their low carbon plans, billing it as a money-maker for the province, in addition to helping Canada achieve its emissions goals by 2030.
