Province brings in climate change bill
REGINA Saskatchewan is moving part of its climate-change strategy, known as Prairie Resilience, into law — by amending a law it introduced nearly a decade ago.
Environment Minister Dustin Duncan introduced Bill 132, The Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Amendment Act, on Tuesday.
According to the province, it will provide a “regulatory framework for performance standards to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions, a provincial technology fund, performance credits and offset credits.”
That plan fits into the province’s overall strategy to combat climate change, outlined in the province’s “made in Saskatchewan” Prairie Resilience.
It also closely mimics plans the Saskatchewan Party government announced, then abandoned, several years ago.
In 2009, the province introduced but never proclaimed Bill 95, The Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act. At the time, it too was advertised as a “made in Saskatchewan” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote investments in lowcarbon technologies.
If passed when first introduced, the law would have tracked and limited emissions, while forcing emitters to pay into a technology fund.
But under the leadership of former premier Brad Wall, the law was never enforced because, according to him, the timing to do so was never right.
But the right time appeared to have arrived Tuesday.
“These amendments are an important step in fulfilling our government’s promise to reduce emissions and make Saskatchewan more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” Duncan said in a statement.
“We already have an effective plan, and we are proceeding with industrial performance standards and compliance options in 2019 — especially with the federal government’s recognition of Prairie Resilience.”
The amendments require that large emitters register with the province, but actual performance-standard regulations won’t be implemented until after they are passed.
“Prairie Resilience, the province’s made-in- Saskatchewan climate-change strategy, is designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions, prepare for changing conditions, and protect people and communities through resilience and readiness,” read a statement from the province.