Ottawa seeks to set national minimum on carbon pricing
Ottawa is aiming to work out a deal with the provinces over the next six months to set a national minimum carbon price of at least $15 per tonne.
The government is looking to establish working groups, including one on carbon pricing, and wants agreement on a national strategy by September in its bid to curb greenhouse-gas emissions.
The national plan would set a floor price for provinces that don’t have their own levy, with the expectation they would establish one in order to collect the revenue. The minimum price would increase each year.
Ottawa is looking to set the carbon price floor at least at the level that exists in Quebec and will soon be adopted by Ontario under the cap-and-trade plan. By setting a floor at the existing level in Quebec and Ontario, the government would help level the climate playing field among provinces, while ensuring those who want to do more would reap the revenue.
The two provinces are members of the Western Climate Initiative with California. Greenhouse-gas emission allowances auctioned off last year had a minimum price of $15.84 a tonne, and will rise above $20 by 2020.
Federal sources stressed that no decision has been made on the carbon tax, meaning it is unlikely to appear in the forthcoming budget. “There has been no specific price and no specific mechanism identified,” one senior source said Wednesday. “Our core commitment is to work with the provinces.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet premiers in Vancouver on March 3 to discuss Canada’s climate challenge, fulfilling his promise to do so within 90 days of the Paris climate summit.
Ottawa seeks to set national minimum on carbon pricing - The Globe and Mail
Ottawa is aiming to work out a deal with the provinces over the next six months to set a national minimum carbon price of at least $15 per tonne.
The government is looking to establish working groups, including one on carbon pricing, and wants agreement on a national strategy by September in its bid to curb greenhouse-gas emissions.
The national plan would set a floor price for provinces that don’t have their own levy, with the expectation they would establish one in order to collect the revenue. The minimum price would increase each year.
Ottawa is looking to set the carbon price floor at least at the level that exists in Quebec and will soon be adopted by Ontario under the cap-and-trade plan. By setting a floor at the existing level in Quebec and Ontario, the government would help level the climate playing field among provinces, while ensuring those who want to do more would reap the revenue.
The two provinces are members of the Western Climate Initiative with California. Greenhouse-gas emission allowances auctioned off last year had a minimum price of $15.84 a tonne, and will rise above $20 by 2020.
Federal sources stressed that no decision has been made on the carbon tax, meaning it is unlikely to appear in the forthcoming budget. “There has been no specific price and no specific mechanism identified,” one senior source said Wednesday. “Our core commitment is to work with the provinces.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet premiers in Vancouver on March 3 to discuss Canada’s climate challenge, fulfilling his promise to do so within 90 days of the Paris climate summit.
Ottawa seeks to set national minimum on carbon pricing - The Globe and Mail
