Provincial government to battle green house gas emissions with low carbon technology

REGINA – A carbon tax isn’t in store for Saskatchewan.

A recent report from Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission has recommended provinces shouldn’t wait for the federal government to come to an agreement on carbon.

The report is also encouraging the implementation of provincially specific carbon taxes that reflect the unique economic structures, emissions profiles and political contexts of different provinces.

However, Saskatchewan isn’t turning to a carbon tax to battle green house gas emissions.

Instead, Environment Minister Scott Moe says the province is following a different path.

“In Saskatchewan we have to remember that we’re an export driven province, and have been for a number of years and will continue to be,” he said. “We’ve chosen the path of low carbon technologies.”

The provincial government said the success of investing in low carbon technologies can be seen in the Boundary Dam carbon capture and storage project near Estevan (pictured above).

Moe stated the project is the single largest reduction in green house gas emissions in Saskatchewan’s history, and that the carbon capture and storage project has “reduced green house gas emissions at the coal fired electrical generation plant, upwards of 90 per cent.”

The Federal government does not favour provincial carbon taxes, and is looking to implement a broad scope of regulations to control emissions sector by sector.