Sask. urged to sign climate agreement

The federal environment minister is encouraging Saskatchewan to sign on to its national climate plan.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna took aim at the only province not to sign on to the plan as the deadline loomed Wednesday.

“We encourage Saskatchewan to join every other province and territory and sign on to our climate plan today @PremierScottMoe,” McKenna wrote on Twitter. “We want to partner and invest $62 million so that residents of Saskatchewan can reduce their emissions and save money.

“To be clear: whether or not Saskatchewan signs onto the national climate plan, there will be a price on carbon pollution across Canada, including Saskatchewan. The choice is between a made-inSK carbon price or a federal one.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in Regina Tuesday that he won’t sign on to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change because it requires an “ill-conceived” carbon tax to be imposed. The province has threatened in the past to challenge the plan in court.

The deadline to sign was Wednesday or Saskatchewan could lose its share of the money from the Low Carbon Economy Fund, which is to be used for projects that make buildings more energy efficient, and store or capture carbon during agricultural processes.

Moe suggested that the province will still apply for its share of the money.