A look back at BC’s Carbon Tax – and the Pacific Carbon Trust

I rarely find anyone that has much good to say about the BC Carbon Tax ... or Pacific Carbon Trust … well with the exception of Kevin Krueger's cross-town buddy here in Kamloops … the Minister of the Environment, Terry Lake.

In fact, since the tax was introduced by then Finance Minster Carole Taylor, not many have had anything good to say about the tax or the trust.

Don't take my word for it.  Here’s the proof in the words of many journalists and editorial writers from across BC, Canada, and even the United States ... as well as from BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins.

B.C. Introduces Carbon Tax (Vancouver Sun -- February 22, 2008)
VICTORIA -- Driving and other fuel-dependent activities are about to get more expensive as British Columbia becomes the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a consumer-based carbon tax….

NDP backtracks on carbon tax  (CBC News – June 12^th, 2009)

BC New Democrats are backing away from their opposition to the government's carbon tax and their call for an immediate moratorium on independent power projects (IPPs).   Premier Gordon Campbell couldn't be more pleased by the decision announced by NDP Leader Carole James on Thursday.  "I think Ms. James is now trying to repair a party that was badly damaged by the fact they were expedient instead of principled," the premier said Friday….

B.C. carbon tax jumps more than 1 cent (CBC News – July 1^st, 2010)

The HST is not the only new levy that B.C. residents start paying Thursday.  The province's carbon tax on gasoline and other fuels also goes up more than one cent per litre, meaning higher prices at the pump, at home and elsewhere, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.  "Keep in mind that almost everything that we purchase, from food to clothing, is transported by trucks," said federation spokeswoman Maureen Bader. "And businesses will also be passing that cost increase down." ……

British Columbia Survives 3 Years and $848 Million Worth of Carbon Taxes (NY Times -- Mar 22^nd, 2011)

As it nears its third anniversary, British Columbia's carbon tax is loved by some, hated by others, and yet forgotten by many Canadians.  John Hunter despises it.

"I've already insulated my house to be energy efficient. I already turn down my thermostat. Why should I have to pay $20 on my natural gas bill for something that is doing nothing for me?" the 64-year-old engineer said in an interview from his home in North Vancouver, British Columbia. His anger about the C$21.85 charge on his C$263 December bill prompted a protest op-ed in a local Vancouver paper …………

New Leader of the BC Conservatives vows to abolish Carbon Tax  (John Cummins – May 28^th, 2011)

“When gas prices are high we pay more for food, clothing…pretty much everything,” said Mr. Cummins.” The largest component of the price of gas is taxes. In BC we have a special tax, one that no one else in North America has; a carbon tax.”

Like the HST, the Liberals told us this tax would be revenue neutral. We were also told that it would cut carbon emissions. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”  “I am pleased to announce today that a new BC Conservative government will abolish the carbon tax and the carbon bureaucracy that goes with it. Gas will cheaper. It will cost less to drive your kids to school; that school will have more resources because they won’t be paying carbon tax. …”

Carbon-neutral BC:  A first for North America  (BC Government media release -- June 2011)

B.C.’s carbon neutral regulation requires all public sector organizations to measure reduce and offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings, vehicle fleets and paper use. Provincial public sector operations spent $18.2 million to offset 730,000 tonnes of GHGs in 2010, well within targets set when the carbon neutral regulation was introduced in 2007.

“In this first chapter of our carbon neutral success story we’ve shown cutting emissions creates savings and new jobs.” said Lake. “Taking a leadership role on carbon emissions has meant change and, in some cases, challenges for some organizations. The next chapter will be about working with those organizations on ways to lower their offset costs and see greater savings.” ……………..

Liberal Canada Day Equals Higher Prices at the Pump  (John Cummins – June 30^th, 2011)

Vancouver – Tomorrow is Canada Day, a day Canadians celebrate our great nation, but in British Columbia Canada Day means gas taxes go up yet again.  “On July 1st the Liberal government’s carbon tax will increase from 4.45 cents per litre to 5.56 cents,” said John Cummins the leader of the new BC Conservatives. “BC’s drivers are already the highest taxed in Canada, and now the Clark government is making them pay even more.”

“This tax is raising the cost of everything, making it more expensive to drive to work and pick up the kids from school.  It increases the cost of food, clothes and furniture. That is why a new BC Conservative government will scrap the carbon tax.”  “BC families are already paying the highest taxes west of Quebec, higher than even in NDP Manitoba, while at the same time we have the lowest average incomes.”

“The new BC Conservatives will provide tax relief as part of our fully costed platform,” said Cummins.

Editorial: B.C. should scrap its useless carbon tax  (Vancouver Province – July 1^st, 2011)

…. the carbon tax might make sense if it actually reduced fuel use. But according to Statistics Canada, B.C. gasoline sales have risen each full year since the tax was introduced. As well, B.C. greenhouse-gas emissions — well under the national average any way due to our great hydroelectric wealth — also continue to rise. B.C.'s plan to cut emissions by a third by 2020 is clearly delusional ….

B.C. still on its own using carbon tax to fight climate change  (CTV News -- July 3^rd, 2011)

British Columbia's carbon tax reaches its third anniversary on Canada Day, and that means paying another penny more per litre of gasoline for the fight against global warming.  Some consider that a small price -- perhaps too small -- in the war against climate change, while others suggest B.C. has been the lone soldier in the climate war for too long and it's time to consider a retreat.

"The problem for British Columbia is that we are dancing alone: we are the only jurisdiction in North America to levy a broadly-based carbon tax that rises over time," said Jock Finlayson, spokesman for the Business Council of B.C.  "An ever-increasing made-in-B.C. carbon tax isn't sustainable if other provinces and states decline to follow the same path." ……………

Clark backer lobbies for carbon storage  (Squamish Chief – July 8^th, 2011)

One of the premier’s most vocal right-wing backers appears to be lobbying the government about carbon capture and storage laws for a firm whose parent company is a major greenhouse gas producer in British Columbia.  Carbon capture and storage projects …  also been the subject of criticism by environmentalists because of questions surrounding their cost and effectiveness, as well as the potential health and safety risks associated with them.  On June 16, former federal Conservative House leader Jay Hill registered to contact elected officials about setting up a “workable” framework for those projects … a top donor to Christy Clark’s successful Liberal leadership campaign….

BC's Carbon Tax Doesn't Work
As gas prices go up, pollution does too. Time to fix it.  (the Tyee July 12^th, 2011)

If the intent of the B.C. Liberal government's three-year-old carbon tax was to reduce gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, it's been a smoking wreck on the highway.  The carbon tax puts an additional tax of 5.56 cents per litre onto the already high price of gasoline, which includes many other federal, provincial and municipal taxes.

The gas tax went up another 1.1 cents a litre on July 1 -- with the intent of persuading consumers to reduce gasoline consumption.  It also applies to home heating fuels, natural gas and other petroleum products. But there are a few problems. First, the carbon tax isn't working. Statistics Canada figures tell the gassy tale of woe…………

A myth B.C. cannot afford  (Vancouver Sun – July 21^st, 2011)

The Pacific Carbon Trust is a crown corporation created to help clients reduce their carbon footprint. But is it working?  A carbon neutral public sector diverts money from useful programs and does not improve the environment … a myth like carbon neutral would be relatively harmless if it were just something that businesses and individuals did on their own. But when adopted as official government policy, it can be harmful.

In his climate policy frenzy of 2007-2008, former BC Liberal premier Gordon Campbell implemented some policies - like our carbon tax and our zero-emission electricity requirement - that are now recognized among the best climate policies in the world. Unfortunately, he also bought into the idea that government should be carbon neutral….

BC Environmentalists Agree With CTF: The Pacific Carbon Trust Stinks! ( CTF Federation Aug 22^nd, 2011)

Even environmentalists are unhappy with BC’s Pacific Carbon Trust, which vacuums taxpayer dollars out of government agencies ($19.4 million worth!) and deposits them in the pockets of corporations, all in the name of “carbon credits.”  Readers may recall that last week we blogged that BC School Districts took $4.4 million out of the classroom and paid the Pacific Carbon Trust in order for schools to be “carbon neutral.”

Indeed, according to PCT’s own numbers, 776,026 of the 783,816 tonnes of carbon dioxide credits came from government agencies—your tax dollars. That’s 99% of the total work done. At the going rate of $25 a tonne, government agencies contribute $19.4 million to the PCT.  At least two prominent BC environmentalists are also questioning the PCT….

Cummins: What is the difference between Premier Clark and the NDP? (John Cummins -- Oct 7^th, 2011)

Today on the Bill Good Show, Premier Clark stated that if Mr. Cummins wants to challenge the BC Liberals, he should run for the NDP.  “This is ridiculous coming from Premier Clark whose policy book looks more and more like it is written by the NDP,” said Mr. Cummins. “Perhaps she needs to take a good hard look at her own record this year, and see if perhaps she is in the wrong party.”

It’s been harder and harder to see the difference between Premier Clark’s government and the NDP. They agree on all of the following … the carbon tax – increased in July, and jacking it up again next year … the gas tax – imposing a new two cent a litre gas tax in the Lower Mainland …

Only one political party (the BC Conservatives) --- and one party leader (John Cummins) is committed to getting rid of the Carbon Tax ... and the Pacific Carbon Trust. 

Only one political party (the BC Conservatives) --- and one party leader (John Cummins) --- is committed to a fair and common sense approach to taxes ... AND accountability with those tax dollars, to the people of BC.

Is it just me, or is that the kind of common sense we have been waiting to hear now for a few years??

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops; with the thoughts of one conservative on this round ball we call planet earth.