The province applied for federal funding to support projects totaling over $200 million
By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Farms.com
On Monday, the Government of Saskatchewan submitted 11 projects to the federal Low Carbon Economy Fund despite its ineligibility for funding.
The province refused to sign onto the Pan-Canadian Framework, which contains a carbon tax that its residents and businesses oppose, a government release said yesterday.
“Saskatchewan put forward 11 projects totalling more than $200 million for consideration under the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy Fund,” Dustin Duncan, the province’s environment minister, said in the release.
“These projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 188 million tonnes from energy and power production, water, forests and agriculture.”
Some of these projects include:
- Serving new communities with natural gas
- Solar power installation
- Pasture seeding
- Emission reduction innovation and infrastructure program
In total, the Low Carbon Economy Fund includes $1.4 billion to support provinces and territories that are a part of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the release said.
The fund has $62 million allocated to Saskatchewan, if the province participates in the federal program.
However, the province has its own approach to greenhouse gas reductions – the Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy – and shows no interest in joining the framework.
“Saskatchewan’s climate change strategy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions without a carbon tax,” Duncan said in the release.
“Our Low Carbon Economy Fund submissions should be equally considered for this federal funding and $62 million should be returned to our province to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The province’s strategy addresses a number of areas, according to the Government of Saskatchewan website. The plan proposes actions for natural systems, physical infrastructure and economic sustainability.
Ag organizations stress that a carbon tax is a burden for farmers who already face narrow margins. And farmers can’t pass along these increased input costs.
Previous Farm.com coverage on carbon pricing in Saskatchewan can be found here.
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