‘No more carve-outs coming’ says Wilkinson on carbon price exemption
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that she’s disturbed by the measure and that it creates further division in the country.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls the policy “completely unfair.”
In addition to the three-year carbon price pause for heating oil, Trudeau announced on Friday that there will be rebates to help more homes switch to heat pumps with the program being piloted in Atlantic Canada. There will also be a doubling of the carbon price rebate in rural areas across the country.
Wilkinson defended the current policy, saying home heating oil is significantly more expensive than other carbon-emitting sources of heat like natural gas.
“Home heating oil is significantly more expensive. It has escalated significantly in the last couple of years. It is predominantly a rural thing,” Wilkinson said. “There is a lot of energy poverty concentrated with people who actually use home heating oil.”
Employment Minister and Edmonton Liberal MP Randy Boissonault stressed that Alberta does have an exemption to allow electricity companies to use natural gas until 2035. Much of the country is working toward net-zero power, driven by renewable energy, by 2030.
“So, this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen exemptions across the country,” Boissonault said.
On heat pumps, Boissonault said that they are ready to work with other provinces if they want to partner with Ottawa on a subsidy program. |Read more https://globalnews.ca/news/10060783/carbon-price-exemption-wilkinson/| globalnews.ca/news/10060783/ca…
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