New Brunswick announced its carbon pricing model which will be in effect in the New Year. The province needed to announce something prior to 2018 or the federal government would impose its own carbon pricing system on the province.
The program is basically a carbon levy that will be taken from the fuel and diesel tax in place today, says the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. The money collected from the levy will go into a climate change fund to be re-distributed to industry to invest in technology to reduce its carbon footprint.
“This is a great approach from the province and we applaud the Gallant government for introducing a program that will not be just a cash grab. This model will collect money towards a climate change fund to invest in new technology and change behaviour,” says Jean-Marc Picard, APTA Executive Director. “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.”
Also part of the program, new industrial performance standards will be implemented as well and administered by the federal government for large emitters of GHG. The province is working closely with facilities emitting more than 50,000 tonnes of GHG annually and these industries will be captured in the performance standards set out.
“Over the past few years, the trucking industry in Atlantic Canada has already invested millions in technology on our trucks that helped reduce the carbon footprint. Therefore we have already contributed significantly towards the goals set out by government,” said Picard. “We believe this approach is exemplary and should be adopted by other provinces.”