Leaders reject cap-and-trade
Ontario-Quebec greenhouse gas reduction plan attracts no interest
CALGARY — Progressive Conservative Leader Jim Prentice and his rivals in the Alberta election have little interest in signing the province onto a cap-and-trade system to curb greenhouse gas emissions even after Canada’s two largest provinces agreed to such an initiative.
On Monday, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard signed a letter of intent to partner on a capand-trade system.
But on the campaign trail, Alberta’s premier said such a system isn’t right for Alberta.
“If Ontario and Quebec have reached a cap-andtrade understanding that works for their two provinces, that’s fine,” Prentice said at a campaign event just outside of Three Hills with an oil well as the backdrop.
“I don’t believe cap-andtrade is the solution for Alberta. I’ve never believed it’s a solution.”
Under a cap-and-trade system, businesses will have a greenhouse gas emissions quota and will be able to sell credits to reward efficiency and innovation. Companies that want to burn more fossil fuels can buy carbon credits from those that burn less than they are allowed. Money raised through the system will be reinvested in green technology and green infrastructure, Wynne said Monday.
The Ontario-Quebec announcement comes just ahead of a meeting of provincial premiers on climate change this week that Prentice will miss because he called the provincial election for May 5.
The growth of Alberta’s oilsands is a key factor in Canada likely missing its international targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but Prentice insisted Alberta remains a leader on climate change issues through its $15-a-tonne carbon levy on a small percentage of emissions from large industrial polluters.
Prentice, a former environment minister in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, has said he will meet the province’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 megatonnes per year by 2020 with a new climate change plan to be released in June.
In Edmonton, NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Monday it was “premature” to say whether Alberta would join a cap-and-trade system if her party forms government.
Liberal interim leader David Swann said the climate change issue exposes a lack of action and leadership by Alberta’s government that dates back years.
However, Swann said he doesn’t support a cap-andtrade system, citing its complexities and the difficulty in monitoring carbon credits. Setting a higher price on carbon under Alberta’s existing program would be better mechanism, he said.
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean, who accused Prentice of wanting to join a cap-andtrade plan, said such a system would be nothing but a transfer of wealth outside of Alberta. He said Alberta should bolster the use of natural gas and cogeneration for electrical generation and add more renewable energy projects to expedite earlier retirement of heavy emitting coal-fired power plants.
“We just don’t believe sending money to other provinces for nothing in return — for some form of credits — is fair or right for Albertans,” he said.
Erin Flanagan, an oilsands analyst with the Pembina Institute, said the province must take steps to reduce its emissions, although it doesn’t necessarily have to join a capand-trade system.