The BC Green Party has released their stance on carbon tax and climate change, proposing a fairer carbon tax and to “ensure polluters pay.”
In their latest news release, BC Greens are critical of the opposing parties’ plans to get rid of the carbon tax, and said that neither of them has a plan for the cost of the climate crisis.
In BC Greens’ carbon tax policy, they outlined their vision to:
- Increase the carbon rebate cheque
- Make sure that polluters pay—which means the more industries pollute, the more they pay
- Structured carbon price increases with no surprises
- Using collected carbon tax to invest directly into communities
- Eliminate loopholes to “ensure a truly fair system.”
In opposition to the BC Greens stance, the Conservative Party of BC said that they will “axe, oppose, and remove any and all carbon taxes”, with the goal of bringing fuel costs down by 18 cents a litre.
The BC NDP has been critical of the Conservatives view, saying that their leader, John Rustad, doesn’t believe that climate change is happening, as he has stated this previously.
They said that the Conservatives “would leave BC with increasing emissions, dirtier air, and more at risk of extreme flooding and forest fires.”
Victoria Buzz reached out to NDPs for their response to the BC Greens’ policy regarding carbon tax, and although they didn’t speak specifically to their vision for the carbon tax, they pointed to CleanBC as their climate plan.
“The fight against climate change is far bigger than any single tax. CleanBC, our climate plan, is one of the most ambitious climate plans on the continent and we’re going to continue to aggressively reduce emissions,” said Diana Gibson, BC NDP candidate for Oak Bay—Gordon Head.
“Right now the carbon tax is a federal requirement. But if Ottawa removes the national carbon tax, we will make big polluters pay while removing the tax from people.”
CleanBC’s website states that the Province uses revenue from the carbon tax to fund projects that reduce industrial emissions.
