If elected, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promises to repeal the entire carbon price law, including the industrial charge and its impact on businesses. On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney began the process to end the consumer carbon price on things like gasoline.
According to the council order, the fee will no longer be required after March 31. Poilievre said that if the Liberals are serious about ending the charge, they would recall Parliament and do it through legislation.
Poilievre stated that his government would “expand eligibility” for the tax credits for clean technology and clean manufacturing in order to cut emissions. He added his government would “reward” businesses that made products with lower emissions than the world average.
Poilievre stated, “Conservatives will cut taxes and boost incentives for those who bring down emissions; carrot not stick; while the Liberals tax businesses who use energy,” when asked about commitments to emission targets. Instead, the Conservative leader stated that expanding Canadian industry is the most effective strategy for encouraging global emission reductions. “I don’t think it’s an accomplishment to close a steel mill in Canada and then open one in China that generates 10 or 20 times more emissions per unit of steel.” The federal government’s emission target of 40 to 45 percent reductions in emissions by 2030 when compared to 2005 levels is currently tied to the Paris Agreement. The longer-term goal is for a net-zero economy by 2050. “What we need to do is recognize the best way to reduce emissions is to bring home clean production here,” Poilievre said. The industrial pricing system applies to businesses that emit over 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Facilities that are below their emissions limit can earn credits that can be sold or saved for later use in more emission intensive periods.
Only Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Nunavut use the federal industrial pricing system, while all other provinces have their own industrial price that uses the federal price as a minimum pollution charge.
Provinces with their own industrial pricing scheme have their own rules, but the one commonality is that they use the federal price as a minimum charge. Right now, it is $80 per tonne and is scheduled to increase to $95 per tonne on April 1.
All revenue collected through provincial plans remains in that jurisdiction. In areas where the federal industrial pricing program is used, Ottawa returns all money collected to the relevant provincial or territorial government.
Poilievre vows to repeal entire carbon price law, including for industries
