Saskatchewan should adopt carbon tax, says environmental society

The provincial government should implement a carbon tax, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society says.

The group issued a letter to Premier Brad Wall last week — as international climate change talks in Paris wrapped up — proposing a province-wide strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Paris negotiations have underlined the urgency with which climate change must be addressed, and the need for every jurisdiction to do its part,” the letter read.

“We need a plan that demonstrates that Saskatchewan will be a leader on the climate change file.”

Saskatchewan should follow British Columbia’s lead by introducing a revenue-neutral carbon tax — a carbon tax that does not act as a revenue generator for the government — to encourage energy efficiency and reduce consumption of fossil fuels, the environmental society wrote.

Saskatchewan's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are nine times the global average and triple the Canadian average.

According to the environmental society, the province’s annual emissions need to be cut by 35 per cent, or 26 million tonnes, within the next 10 to 15 years to meet national reduction targets.

“Whether the current national target remains in place or a more ambitious target is set, we want to encourage the Saskatchewan government to come forward with a comprehensive plan for making big reductions in the province’s annual greenhouse gas emissions,” the group wrote.

The society commended the province’s plan — announced last month — to move 50 per cent of its electrical generating capacity to renewable power sources by 2030, but still listed several recommendations to cut Saskatchewan’s emissions.

Saskatchewan should aim to reduce the amount of methane released in the oil and gas sectors, and increase investments in public transit, sidewalk maintenance and cycling paths, the group stated. The province should also adopt efficiency standards as part of the Saskatchewan Building Code and offer more financial incentives encouraging homeowners to invest in energy-efficient appliance.

“To date your government has only specified some actions that will be taken in the electricity generation sector,” the letter read. “However, to be successful, such a plan will need to address all the large emission sources in our province.”

The Saskatchewan government responded by stating the economy must be considered when discussing emission reductions.

“Any measures taken to reduce emissions must take into account our provincial economy and the cost to Saskatchewan people,” a statement read. “As such, we would move very cautiously on any proposed carbon tax proposal.”

Saskatchewan is working to reduce greenhouse gases through innovation and technology, like carbon capture storage and renewable energy, the province stated.

“Saskatchewan has made the largest per capita investment in carbon capture in the world, already the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off our roads.”

The environmental society urged the province to phase out coal-fired power plants, with the exception of the carbon capture facility near Estevan.

--- with files from The Canadian Press