However, the government is planning to rebate some of that money to middle and lower-income Albertans.
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Phillips said the government will develop programs to help businesses and families make the shift to Alberta’s new economy.
Part of that pitch is seeking new worldwide partnerships and attempting to leverage environmental regulations into investor dollars.
“As we are meeting, there are literally tens of thousands of Canadians who have been laid off of their jobs in (the oil and gas) sector”, Wall said.
And yet, whether next week’s Paris talks and subsequent meetings with premiers are fruitful – whether in fact, our government changes its policies in any meaningful way regarding the oilsands or any other issue pertaining to the environment – one has to ask: how much does policy matter in combating climate change, if people by and large do not give a damn about it? “But we can not forget the jobs that are at stake in a sector that’s undergoing a lot of stress right now due to $40 [U.S. per barrel] oil”.
Officials in the Canadian province of Alberta announced plans over the weekend to levy taxes on carbon dioxide emissions and implement an overall cap on emissions from its vast oil reserves.
Alberta also set a price on carbon.
The Alberta contingent has bought carbon offsets for the trip, but there are not details on the cost at this time.
“The challenges we face as a country require a true partnership between the federal government and the provinces and territories, which can only be achieved by sitting down together and engaging in an open and continuous dialogue”, said the Prime Minister in a statement. Previous Progressive Conservative governments in Alberta sought to shield the dominant industry from costly emission limits.
“Wind energy is one of the most cost-competitive ways to generate new electricity in Alberta, and Alberta is wise to draw on its tremendous wind energy resources to help replace coal-fired electricity in the province”, comments CanWEA President Robert Hornung, in a press release. The new carbon tax is expected to raise $3-billion annually by 2018, but unlike British Columbia’s carbon tax, will not reduce other provincial taxes.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, who was noticeably less enthusiastic than his fellow first ministers about tackling climate change, signalled that he’ll fight to ensure the eventual plan doesn’t unduly hurt the energy industry on which his province’s economy depends.
That $30 will add about seven cents to the cost of a litre of petrol. The total cost of the increases will be about $500 a year for an average family, according to government calculations.
Trudeau has said the dinner will see the leaders “exactly discuss the kind of strong and cohesive message we will be delivering as Canadians in Paris at the very important COP 21 (climate-change) conference”.
“Alberta’s decision to move away from coal-fired electricity generation and dramatically increase its use of renewable energy reflects a trend happening in countries all over the world”, said Hornung. The remainder would be reinvested in clean energy projects in the province.
She said she hopes Alberta’s climate strategy will lead to a more collaborative conversation about Canada’s energy infrastructure, such as pipelines.
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In 2007, Alberta became the first North American jurisdiction to put a price on carbon- demonstrating that it could be a leader in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
