Edmonton mayor sees good news in Alberta's climate-change plan
Don Iveson says revenue generated by carbon tax could help fund innovations to cut emissions
The province's climate-change plan will affect Edmonton's budget for the next few years, and will likely create both challenges and opportunities, says Mayor Don Iveson.
The plan will cost the city more for fuel, heat and electricity, but Iveson said he is optimistic it could be good news for Edmonton's environmentally friendly projects.
The city has plans to buy electric buses, install a district energy system, and replace streetlights with LEDs.
Iveson said the province may now have the money to help contribute to those projects.
"Just as there'll be impacts in terms of the diesel may be more expensive for our buses, by the same token the business case for the electric buses we're interested in buying may have just gotten way better by way of comparison," he said.
The best way to look at the plan may be to focus on the possibilities it opens up, Iveson said.
"I think that's what's most interesting about the government's leadership on the climate file, is that it's all designed to open up new opportunities, new innovation, provide some incentives to help businesses and organizations make changes and adapt to the new reality. All of which will reduce our greenhouse gases."
Iveson said revenue generated by putting a price on carbon will allow the province to fund new projects as the city tries to cut emissions.