‘Still Better Than a Carbon Tax’ is Nova Scotia’s climate alternative

By Canadian Press | News, Politics | April 2nd 2024

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is greeted by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston in Truro on Thursday, March 30, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

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HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s premier has responded to a challenge from the prime minister to submit an alternative to the federal carbon pricing program.

Tim Houston's “Still Better Than a Carbon Tax Plan” summarizes the steps his government has taken so far to battle climate change.

The document includes his government’s previously released plans for coastal protection, climate change, clean electricity and green hydrogen.

He submitted the plan to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a letter dated March 28 in which Houston said the province didn't think a carbon tax was the best mechanism to address climate change in Nova Scotia.

The prime minister told reporters Tuesday in the Halifax area that he hadn't see the details of Houston's plan.

Trudeau said he was open to talking with Houston but added that Nova Scotia's earlier climate change plans had not met federal requirements, which include a price on carbon.

Ottawa's increase of $15 per tonne of carbon went into effect Monday, but Trudeau said that increase would also mean larger quarterly rebate cheques, which families are next set to receive on April 15 to help offset the higher cost of fuel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2024.

April 2nd 2024

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Rufus Polson |

This article seems like what Wiki would call a "stub". From the article:
"The document includes his government’s previously released plans for coastal protection, climate change, clean electricity and green hydrogen."
OK, fine, there exists a document that contains this guy's plans for climate change. So . . . what are those plans? Is there any basis to consider them "Still better than a carbon tax"? The article gives us no indication.

Alex Botta |

If it includes a huge build out in offshore wind and energy conservation in a reasonable timeframe, then maybe it's worth a look.

Timothy Lash |

This is Nova Scotia's statement of its "Still Better than a Carbon Tax plan" https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/what-ns-is-doing , and Premier Houston's letter to Prime Minister Trudeau https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/still-be... .

It seems to be a repeat of last August's "Better than a Carbon Tax Plan". https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/carbon-tax-environment-greenh.... NS opposition parties at the time said it was goals, rather than a plan with implementation details. NS has made other announcements since then, including a Bill that enshrines the goals in law https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/electricity-coal-renewable-cl... .

Timothy Lash |

Canada's emergency for the next election is a multi-crisis, with interacting dimensions: climate, biodiversity, wealth & poverty inequality & justice, democracy vs authoritarian populism.

Responsible and effective public governance and private sector activity has to address all these dimensions at the same time, in mutually-supporting ways.

The Climate Action Network's statement and proposals, reported elsewhere in this NO issue, is worth more than a casual look. And it's worth much more than a partisan political look by Canadian party leaders and influencers. https://climateactionnetwork.ca/safeguarding-climate-policy-against-bad-... .