The latest fight between Premier Scott Moe and the federal government dates back to late October when the latter announced a three-year exemption for home heating oil.
Alec Salloum, Regina Leader-Post
Saskatchewan will make good on its plan to flout the law, refusing to comply with federal emissions regulations as of Jan. 1, 2024.
This, the latest fight between Premier Scott Moe and the federal government, dates back to late October when the latter announced a three-year exemption for home heating oil, which is primarily used in Atlantic Canada. Feeling this was unfair, Moe said Saskatchewan would no longer collect the federal carbon tax on natural gas and electric heat.
the government is “ensuring fairness” while ensuring Saskatchewan families can heat their homes this winter, said Dustin Duncan, minister of Crown Investments Corporation, in a Thursday news release.
All told, the province says this move will save households an average of $21 each month in the winter.
“Customers will still see a federal carbon tax charge on their January utility bills for natural gas or electricity used for heating that they used in the month of December. The federal carbon tax will be zero billed, appearing as both a charge and a reversal credit, on bills for usage on and after Jan. 1, 2024” the release notes.
In anticipation of the new year, and a new approach to federal law, the province has introduced legislation protecting top brass at SaskEnergy from any consequences of not collecting the tax.
Carbon pricing on electricity is paid into a provincially administered Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) but natural gas emission pricing is paid into the federal system directly, since Saskatchewan is one of four provinces without a provincial plan.
The federal laws in question relate specifically to remittance, not collection of carbon pricing. So while SaskEnergy and SaskPower don’t plan to collect the carbon tax after Jan. 1, 2024, SaskPower still plans to pay into the OBPS. SaskEnergy isn’t required to kickup cash to Ottawa until February, so the province has until then to make a plan for next steps.
— with files from Larissa Kurz
