FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES/VANCOUVER – Premier David Eby announced that B.C. would end the carbon tax on consumers if the federal government drops its legal requirement to keep it. This would lead to smaller reductions in carbon pollution than anticipated in B.C.’s climate plans, at a time when we are already falling short of those goals.

“Carbon pricing is an effective and low-cost tool for reducing carbon pollution and should be maintained,” said Sierra Club BC Campaigns Director Shelley Luce. “If the consumer aspect is eliminated, the province must make further pollution reductions by increasing and accelerating additional climate policies. Finalizing a cap on oil and gas emissions, denying new fracking and LNG project permits, and shifting government support to renewable energy are areas where we can make major reductions in carbon pollution.”

The consumer carbon price was expected to lower national carbon emissions by about 10 percent according to analysis by the Canadian Climate Institute – a significant number considering that even small amounts of carbon pollution contribute to our rapidly rising temperatures.

The price on carbon produced by industry is anticipated to lower carbon pollution by even more, about 30 percent by 2030.

“As the single biggest source of carbon pollution in B.C., the oil and gas industry should be held accountable. The industrial carbon price can help to achieve this with more stringent pricing,” said Luce. “As people in B.C. struggle with the rising cost of living, our government can choose additional climate policies that reduce consumer costs, such as fully incentivizing the switch to heat pumps, and ensuring sufficient, lower-cost, clean electricity.”

“Climate change is costing consumers enormous amounts of money. BC’s leaders must understand that strong climate policies will save us money by reducing more severe wildfires, droughts, and impacts on food production in the future, which incur huge costs,” said Jens Wieting, Senior Campaigns Advisor at Sierra Club BC. ” Preventing carbon pollution means less extreme climate emergencies and greater security for all of us.”

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