Pollution pricing puts money in your pocket while fighting climate change

On Friday Oct. 14th, Albertans will see a payment appear in their bank accounts: your fall Climate Action Incentive rebate from the federal government. How much can you expect? Well, for a family of 4 here in Alberta, you’re getting $269.75. And this is just one of the payments coming to you every 3 months, worth $1,079 total for the year for a family of four. If you’re not registered for online submission of your taxes that’s no problem, it just means you’ll be getting a cheque in the mail soon, instead of direct deposit.

So what is the federal Climate Action Incentive? These are the proceeds from the price on carbon pollution. Our federal Government has designed a system that puts money back in your pocket while making sure it isn’t free to pollute anywhere in this country. That’s win-win – not only do you have more money for things like groceries or childcare, our approach also helps fight climate change by making big polluters pay their fair share. In fact, most families get more money back than they pay and those payments are set to increase in the coming years.

Today, these rebate cheques are under threat from new Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. Despite the fact that Canada is recognized worldwide for our market-based system which prices pollution while supporting families, Poilievre wants to scrap these rebate payments.

With the autumn season upon us and Parliament Hill back in session, Mr. Poilievre is making a lot of noise about carbon pricing. He has ditched the policy of his predecessor, Erin O’Toole, who recognized the importance of putting a price on pollution. And, true to form, Mr. Poilievre is attacking pollution pricing while ignoring the rebates supporting Canadians and failing to offer any alternative environmental plan.

Nor will you hear Mr. Poilievre talk about the massive cleanup costs of extreme weather events that are increasingly frequent with climate change. And you’ll never hear him discuss the great new jobs and investment being spurred across Alberta by the clean-tech boom that’s underway.

And that’s why pollution pricing works: it puts a cost on the thing we don’t want – pollution – and adds value to the things we do want – clean air, reliable, affordable clean energy and sustainable jobs.

Pricing pollution is a key part of our comprehensive plan to tackle climate change. In Alberta, our Government is also supporting the growth of innovative new energy technologies, whether in hydrogen development, biomethanization, carbon capture and storage or a range of other business lines that create jobs and investment.

Your federal government is focused on being in your corner - delivering a clean environment, and the good, sustainable jobs that come with the clean energy economy for your community. And as we do, we’re making sure that it’s not free to pollute in Canada and that you have more money in your pockets every year.

Terry Duguid is a Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.