Prentice raps Quebec on emissions
Federal minister decries strict limits
BY KEVIN DOUGHERTY, THE GAZETTE FEBRUARY 2, 2010
Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice took a swing at Quebec yesterday in a speech in Calgary, where most Canadian oil companies have their head offices.
Like the state of California, Quebec has adopted tough environmental standards, calling for a 30-per-cent reduction in vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions by 2016.
Quebec and California are members of the Western Climate Initiative, composed of seven states and four provinces. They hope to press their respective federal governments to take a tougher stance on climate change.
In his speech, Prentice said Canada should align its greenhouse-gas cuts with the United States, indirectly criticizing Quebec's ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent in 2020, from 1990 levels.
"One of the most glaring examples of the folly of attempting to go it alone in an integrated North American economy is the new, and unique, vehicle regulations introduced by Quebec," he said.
"These ensure consumers will basically have to leave that province to buy vehicles, to avoid levies of up to $5,000, because 75 per cent of the latest car and truck models don't conform to the new rules."
Provincial Environment Minister Line Beauchamp was not available for comment, but a Quebec government official noted that automakers have until 2016 to conform - and because it is an average, they just have to sell more small cars to comply.
Prentice said Canada would work with the U.S., to the point of harmonizing its greenhouse-gas reduction target with the U.S's: a 17-per-cent reduction from 2005 levels by 2020. Previously, Canada set a goal of a 20-per-cent reduction in 2020, starting from 2006.
But environmentalists note this is still only a three-per-cent reduction from 1990, the agreed reference year, and 17 per cent less than what Quebec proposes.
Quebec has also been pushing Ottawa to adopt a cap-and-trade plan, which would limit greenhouse gas emissions by major industries through a system of buying and selling carbon credits on the Montreal Exchange.
"We will adopt a cap and-trade regime only if the United States signals it wants to do the same," Prentice said.
While acknowledging criticism that Alberta's oilsands project is a major source of pollution, Prentice said Canada's ultimate goal is to be a "clean energy superpower.
kdougherty@thegazette.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
Federal minister decries strict limits
BY KEVIN DOUGHERTY, THE GAZETTE FEBRUARY 2, 2010
Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice took a swing at Quebec yesterday in a speech in Calgary, where most Canadian oil companies have their head offices.
Like the state of California, Quebec has adopted tough environmental standards, calling for a 30-per-cent reduction in vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions by 2016.
Quebec and California are members of the Western Climate Initiative, composed of seven states and four provinces. They hope to press their respective federal governments to take a tougher stance on climate change.
In his speech, Prentice said Canada should align its greenhouse-gas cuts with the United States, indirectly criticizing Quebec's ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent in 2020, from 1990 levels.
"One of the most glaring examples of the folly of attempting to go it alone in an integrated North American economy is the new, and unique, vehicle regulations introduced by Quebec," he said.
"These ensure consumers will basically have to leave that province to buy vehicles, to avoid levies of up to $5,000, because 75 per cent of the latest car and truck models don't conform to the new rules."
Provincial Environment Minister Line Beauchamp was not available for comment, but a Quebec government official noted that automakers have until 2016 to conform - and because it is an average, they just have to sell more small cars to comply.
Prentice said Canada would work with the U.S., to the point of harmonizing its greenhouse-gas reduction target with the U.S's: a 17-per-cent reduction from 2005 levels by 2020. Previously, Canada set a goal of a 20-per-cent reduction in 2020, starting from 2006.
But environmentalists note this is still only a three-per-cent reduction from 1990, the agreed reference year, and 17 per cent less than what Quebec proposes.
Quebec has also been pushing Ottawa to adopt a cap-and-trade plan, which would limit greenhouse gas emissions by major industries through a system of buying and selling carbon credits on the Montreal Exchange.
"We will adopt a cap and-trade regime only if the United States signals it wants to do the same," Prentice said.
While acknowledging criticism that Alberta's oilsands project is a major source of pollution, Prentice said Canada's ultimate goal is to be a "clean energy superpower.
kdougherty@thegazette.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
