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Pictured above: John Streicker, Sandy Silver and Stacey Hassard

AYC hears differing views on carbon tax

The Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) views the impending imposition of a federal/territorial carbon tax with some trepidation.

By Dan Davidson on May 17, 2018

DAWSON CITY – The Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) views the impending imposition of a federal/territorial carbon tax with some trepidation.

So, the second resolution passed at its annual general meeting last weekend dealt with that issue. It read:

“BE IT RESOLVED that the Yukon Government clarify how much of a portion of the tax revenues be extended as a rebate to municipalities in consultation with AYC as soon as practicable so that municipalities can budget for the 2019 budgetary cycle.”

The AYC is concerned about the details of the territorial government’s pledge to return the carbon tax money to Yukoners.

Among the list of “whereas” statements in the preamble to the resolution were the following items.

“The Government of Yukon has committed to returning money collected from the federal carbon tax to Yukoners and Yukon businesses, but has not extended this rebate to municipal governments.

“Municipalities will see direct and indirect increases in costs as a result of the carbon tax … (which will) place an undue financial burden on municipalities that is counter-productive to investing in energy efficiencies and strategies that would reduce their carbon footprints.”

Finally, the list notes that “municipalities have just renewed the Comprehensive Municipal Grant (CMG) without including this additional cost as part of the calculation.”

The controversial tax was mentioned several times during the first two days of the meeting, first by Stacey Hassard, the Yukon Party’s interim leader. He cited the British Columbia experience with the tax as a failure.

While there was an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. at first, Hassard said, this likely had more to do with the global recession at the time.

Since then, he maintained, emissions have actually risen. He was referencing data from the B.C. Provincial GHG Inventory and research reported in the Vancouver Sun and the Winnipeg Sun.

“In fact, they’ve increased faster in B.C. than they have nationally,” Hassard told the delegates.

“So they have a carbon tax, but their greenhouse gas emissions are rising almost three times faster than the rest of the country.”

Fuel prices and consumption have been rising in B.C. as well, to the point where, Hassard said, “prices in B.C. are the same as they are in Dawson City,” while Statistics Canada calculates that sales have increased by 23 per cent.

Hassard said the Yukon Party believes there are better ways to reduce emissions:

• dedicating infrastructure money to municipalities to invest in green projects;

• retrofitting buildings to reduce energy costs; and

• installing solar panels on buildings to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

Later that morning, during the minister’s round table, Community Services Minister John Streicker stressed that, in his discussions with many economists, there is a cost to reducing emissions.

There are options, and, of course, one of them is doing nothing, which is generally held to be the greater cost, Streicker said.

“If you want to reduce emissions some other way (than by a carbon tax), it will cost more,” the minister warned.

He said the government’s intention is to get the “money back into the pockets of the municipalities so that they can make the right choices.”

The Liberals’ pledge to get $30 million to the communities exceeds the Yukon Party’s offer of just $20 million in its platform, Streicker told the delegates.

Streicker also indicated that he understand the AYC’s desire for predictable increases to the CMG, and is willing to have that dialogue.

Later that evening, Premier Sandy Silver also addressed the issue in his speech at the banquet.

“I want to talk a bit about carbon pricing,” said the premier who is also the MLA for Klondike.

“This is an issue that has definitely been on everybody’s radar for a long time, and so in 2016, the government made a commitment to make sure that all the carbon pricing revenue be returned from the federal government to the territory, and ultimately would be returned to Yukon individuals and businesses.

“When you take a look at the most cost-effective method that we can deal with carbon and climate change, this is it,” Silver said. “This is an international commitment.

“There are so many stories these days about the plastics in our ocean, and the plastics are a petroleum product.

“There are so many conversations about how we can do our best, put our best foot forward, because you know, the Earth is struggling right now.

“When we take a look at our small little section of the corner of the world,” the premier continued, “we’re not necessarily the big polluters, but at the same time we need to show a commitment to the nation and to the international community that we believe that we need to do something to get away from fossil fuels. So this is the part that we can do.”

The benefit of being able to work with the federal government on the issue is to be able to say, “‘Look this is a unique circumstance. We feel the effects of carbon and man-made climate change more than any other jurisdiction, but we are northern and we’re very special, so to be able to give all that money back into Yukoners’ pockets, that’s important to us,’” Silver said.

So his government made the commitment and plans to keep it, he said, thanking everyone for their patience.

“It’s been one of those things where we been waiting on Ottawa for the answers for some specific questions and it’s been slow coming,” Silver added. “We’re very frustrated.

“We went to Ottawa just last week and talked to (Environment) Minister (Catherine) McKenna’s office and we told her, ‘Look, we’re going to tell municipalities, tell the First Nations’ governments, that we’re going to get back their money to them.

“‘They can do what they want with it as far as if they want to put it towards innovation initiatives. But we’re not waiting for you to let us know if that’s going to fly or not,’ and they understood.”

McKenna essentially said, “‘We agree, you’re a special case,’” Silver said.

“There was a commitment there. We did hear as well tonight, and I’m telling you this for the first time, that the (Yukon) aviation industry as well will be getting their money back, so Air North and Alkan, if you’re doing flights in the North, you can expect that.”

There was a round of applause at that point in Silver’s speech.

First Nations will also be included in the rebate plans.

See related story.

Comments (11)

Up 5 Down 0

My Opinion on May 21, 2018 at 7:29 pm

@clifford.
If having less money saves the environment because with less funds I use less Carbon, then I can fix that as an employer and just pay less. Problem solved. You have been drinking the Koolaid my friend. Taxing us more saves nothing!!!!

Up 3 Down 0

Wilf Carter on May 20, 2018 at 7:34 pm

Tell Yukoners how they can track how much carbon tax we all pay because the carbon tax can be tracked for each house hold. The liberals in Canada and Yukon are dead in the water on this one and will pay the price with losing the next election.

Up 5 Down 0

ProScience Greenie on May 20, 2018 at 4:43 pm

At the end of the day, once this sin tax is collected and redistributed with all the associated government/NGO/business bloat, inefficiency, graft, profiteering and general waste, our GHG will most likely be higher than lower. Far better to leave it in our pockets if they really cared about GHG reduction.

Up 3 Down 0

north_of_60 on May 18, 2018 at 10:11 pm

Albertans get an honest estimate from their Provincial government for what their family carbon tax rebate will amount to.
https://www.alberta.ca/calculate-carbon-levy-rebate-and-costs.aspx
From the beginning the YTG Liberals have never done anything like that because they always planned on returning the money to the three levels of Yukon government to be spent on Yukoner's behalf by their political masters who know what's best for them.
Typical elitist "We know what's best for you".

Up 0 Down 4

Clifford on May 18, 2018 at 6:21 pm

As erroneously stated by the default leader of the opposition the B.C. carbon tax does work according to NYTimes, Globe and Mail, McLeans. This is not surprising as he has been confused by much over the course of his political career. He could ask the NDP or CBC who he seems to have a mysterious in with.
Juniper: The carbon tax is designed to get people using less fossil fuels and thereby reduce the rate of climate change. Get it? My Opinion=verbal diarhea

Up 8 Down 0

Juniper Jackson on May 17, 2018 at 9:32 pm

If they are going to give the money back, why are they taking it in the first place? As I have NO faith in this government.. it would follow that who ever gets the money..isn't going to be a tax payer...if you work.. middle class.. you are hooped....again... votes will go to the party that repeals this cash grab.

Up 6 Down 0

My Opinion on May 17, 2018 at 6:21 pm

We need an election BADDDD.

Up 3 Down 0

My Opinion on May 17, 2018 at 6:21 pm

Gas Tax. Carbon Tax. Pot Tax. Income Tax increases. Mortgages are going up. Property Tax increases. Better sell your house before you lose it.

Up 3 Down 0

My Opinion on May 17, 2018 at 6:19 pm

Oh and you think we will get the Pot Tax back as well???? Yeah right

Up 4 Down 0

My Opinion on May 17, 2018 at 6:18 pm

Just like the Federal Gas Tax we got back. Do we see any of it? No all spent on projects like a monster building the city is building as a Shrine to Dan Curtis.

Up 5 Down 0

My Opinion on May 17, 2018 at 6:16 pm

What a load of CRAP. They said that this TAX would be neutral and returned to us. Now it is just going to be redistributed between all levels of Government and some how or another we are supposed to see that as getting it back. Let's put the Liberals into the dark ages. What a bunch of crooks. Oh and don't forget, Liars.

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