Saskatchewan

Terminating the consumer carbon tax only 'a step in the right direction,' province says

The Saskatchewan government believes the decision to scrap the federal consumer carbon tax is a "step in the right direction" but wants the entire pricing scheme to be eliminated.

Saskatchewan government wants entire carbon-pricing scheme eliminated

A man in a blue check suit stands in front of a microphone. The man looks toward a bearded individual in the foreground of the photo.
Premier Scott Moe has been a critic of the federal carbon tax since the program was implemented in 2019. (Alexander Quon/CBC)

The Saskatchewan government believes the decision to scrap the federal consumer carbon tax is a "step in the right direction" but wants the entire pricing scheme to be eliminated.

In a brief statement issued Monday, the provincial government said they're calling for the federal government to do more. 

"The Prime Minister still needs to eliminate the other of half of the carbon tax that is charged on industry and indirectly paid by consumers," the statement says. 

On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a ministerial directive that the fuel charge be removed effective April 1 and that the month's carbon rebates go ahead as planned. 

Premier Scott Moe has been an opponent of the federal program since it was implement by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2019. 

Under Moe, Saskatchewan participated in an unsuccessful challenge of the pricing scheme.

WATCH| Canada developing a 'targeted response' to replace 'divisive' carbon tax: minister

Canada developing a 'targeted response' to replace 'divisive' carbon tax: minister

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Duration 14:46
In his first act in office, Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered the controversial consumer carbon tax to be eliminated in April. Now, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he'd kill the industrial carbon tax, too. Power & Politics hears from Industry Minister Anita Anand on Ottawa's plan to replace the carbon tax — and the idea of slashing the industrial tax.

Since 2024, Saskatchewan has refused to charge the carbon tax on home heating and also chose not to remit those funds to the federal government. The legal dispute over that dispute is still making its way through the federal courts

Saskatchewan's Official Opposition greeted the end of the carbon with a simple statement last week. 

"Great. Finally," Carla Beck said. 

On Monday, the Saskatchewan NDP leader expanded even further, saying the writing has been on the wall for the carbon tax for awhile.

A woman in a Team Canada Hockey Jersey stands at a podium. A woman in a dark blazer stands behind her.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck, left, seen with NDP House Leader Nicole Sarauer on Monday, described the elimination of the tax with two words: 'Great. Finally.' (Alexander Quon/CBC News)

Now, Beck said, it's important to focus "on the future, to look to what investments we need to be making in this country to ensure that we're not overly dependent on the United States any longer and also to take advantage of markets beyond beyond North America and to be able to get our goods to markets." . 

Darcy Pawlik, the executive director of the Wheat Growers Association, says the organization has always been opposed to the carbon-pricing scheme implemented by the federal government. 

"Now that it has been suspended for some unknown period of time, we remain suspicious of what could come next since no plan has been shared," Pawlik said. 

Pawlik says the association believes any tax that increases the cost of production will be passed along, eventually raising the cost of food. 

Carbon pricing has "perversely" harmed food producers, Pawlik said, "so at least today we don't see how farmers or anyone else will benefit at all." 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexander Quon has been a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan since 2021 and is happy to be back working in his hometown of Regina after half a decade in Atlantic Canada. He has previously worked with the CBC News investigative unit in Nova Scotia and Global News in Halifax. Alexander specializes in municipal political coverage and data-reporting. He can be reached at: alexander.quon@cbc.ca.

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