Manitoba sets climate change targets

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has identified climate change targets and plans to look at cutting greenhouse gases by one third by 2030.

A detailed plan about how they expect to get to that number was released by Premier Greg Selinger on Wednesday.

“Climate change is the defining global environmental issue of our time and now is the time for action,” said Selinger in a news release.

The plan includes Manitoba Hydro offering sliding energy rates to customers based on when they use electricity. It also encourages customers to use their appliances during off-peak hours, with financial incentives.

There’s also a push for expanded geo-thermal and solar grant programs.

The province will also implement a large-scale pilot project using the latest in smart thermostats.  The cutting edge technology is pricey, but it allows homeowners the ability to control the temperature in their home remotely.

The Manitoba Eco-Network said the main goal is migrating completely away from using fossil fuels.

“There’s a process involved there. It involves things like reducing energy consumption, changing where the energy comes from, changing the way we move ourselves around, how we move our goods,” Curt Hull said. “It’s the beginning of something that could be a revolutionary change.”

The government says there’ll be at least 6,000 new jobs in the sector by 2020.