The Liberals set a minimum carbon price of $20 per tonne this year, increasing $10 a year to $50 by 2022, and imposed a carbon tax on businesses and individuals in provinces with no federally approved carbon price plan. In those provinces, Ottawa is handing back carbon tax rebates to most residents. The tax has faced unsuccessful court challenges from several provinces.
Conservatives have called the Liberals’ carbon tax ineffective and have vowed to repeal it. The party would leave it to the provinces to decide if they want to put a price on carbon. It promises to reduce carbon emissions by investing in green technology funded in part by polluters who fail to meet new standards, but haven’t explained how this would be more effective than a carbon tax.
New Democrats are in favour of continuing with a carbon tax and the rebate program. However, Leader Jagmeet Singh wants to crack down more on heavy emitters. He said he wants those who produce the most emissions to “have the most burden” and vows to change the requirements slightly for industrial emitters.
Leader Elizabeth May supports the carbon tax, saying putting a price on carbon has been “one of the cornerstones of Green Party climate policy for many years.” But she said it alone is not sufficient to meet the emissions targets of the Paris Accord, a target she hopes to double.
The Bloc is in favour of a carbon tax but argues the Liberal plan doesn’t go far enough. It wants a tax of $30 per tonne on greenhouse gases in provinces where emissions per capita are higher than average. This would increase to $200 per tonne by 2030. The charge wouldn’t apply in “greener” provinces like Quebec.
The People’s Party plans to get rid of the carbon tax, citing an increased cost for business and the threat of job losses. Instead, it plans to allow provinces to reduce emissions through their own programs “if they want to.”
Find out more about the promises parties are making in our party platform tracker.
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