Mayoral candidates disagree on Saskatoon’s Low Emissions Community Plan

Many mayoral candidates disagree with the City of Saskatoon‘s Low Emissions Community Plan (LEC plan), which outlines actions required to meet emission reduction targets in the future.

At a press conference Tuesday, Rob Norris outlined some of his concerns, calling the LEC plan, “Clark’s carbon tax“.

“The total cost as it relates to additional tax dollars on households is over $3,000 a year,” Norris said.

He said the plan is missing key details.

“How do the citizens of Saskatoon actually receive those returns on investment without key questions being addressed?”

In response to Norris, Charlie Clark admits there was confusion with how the plan was laid out, but the plan hasn’t actually been passed.

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The LEC plan released last year states investments will bring returns. Clark said it wouldn’t be like the carbon tax and instead focuses on finding savings in the budget by implementing energy efficient measures. The example Clark used was saving up to $800,000 a year using LED street lights.

“We have made practical, prudent, specific measures that will provide investment to citizens and prepare us for a changing future,” Clark said.

The LEC plan said a capital investment of $19 billion would leave more money in the city’s pockets over the long run. Don Atchison doesn’t believe it’s realistic to see a high return.

“I have no faith in the $6.1 billion (projected return) that it will have a zero net impact on the citizens of Saskatoon’s pocketbook,” Atchison said.

Other mayoral candidates also disagree with how the plan is laid out and believe it won’t be beneficial to the city.

“They create a lot of things, they implement what hurts business because the right people haven’t made preparation for things to be rolled out,” Cary Tarasoff said about the LEC plan.

“It leaves much to be desired. In regards to this file, I believe the proposed budget is significantly inflated,” Mark Zielke said.

Candidate Zubair Sheikh didn’t get back to Global News before deadline. Saskatoon’s municipal election will be held Nov. 9.

1:32 Saskatoon mayoral candidates meet in first debate of 2020 civic election