Nenshi pushes for carbon tax rebate for municipalities
'On this particular matter, the mayor might be taking a slightly short-sighted approach,' says premier
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is brushing off accusations from Premier Rachel Notley that he's being "slightly short-sighted" when it comes to the impact the carbon tax will have on cities.
Speaking on CBC's The Homestretch Friday, Nenshi continued to criticize the NDP government for refusing to give municipalities a rebate on the tax.
"Bluntly, the government has not thought through the implications of the implementation of their levy — and they need to," he said.
The City of Calgary has been working to reduce its environmental footprint for years, but it will still feel the impact of the carbon tax, he said.
"So we're doing all the things that we were supposed to do, all the things that the carbon levy is supposed to provide incentives to do. Yet, we're being dinged, because we still have to run buses, and fire trucks, and police cars and garbage trucks."
City of Calgary officials estimate it will cost $6 million more to fuel and power the city next year, which homeowners would pay for through property taxes.
Nenshi argues it's not efficient for one level of government to tax another and municipalities should get a rebate similar to what's done in B.C.
'Short-sighted approach'
Speaking to CBC Calgary News at Six Thursday, Notley said she doesn't believe Calgarians will be taxed twice.
"When you look at the ways in which the levy monies will be recycled back into our economy, municipalities have tremendous opportunities to benefit from the levies and the fund that it creates," she said.
"I think perhaps on this particular matter, the mayor might be taking a slightly short-sighted approach," she continued.
"All Albertans, whether municipalities, community groups, non-profits, individuals or businesses, need to take action to reduce their emissions. And the way to pay less is to emit less."
The province estimates the carbon tax will amount to roughly $470 in increased heating, electricity and transportation costs for an average household in 2018, assuming that household consumes the same amount of fossil fuels as it did in 2015.
Albertans are told to expect to pay an extra seven cents per litre for gasoline and $1.68/ GJ for natural gas by 2018.
With files from CBC's The Homestretch and CBC Calgary News at 6