On 28 April, the Minister of Finance, Hon. Carole Taylor, introduced Bill 37, the Carbon Tax Act 2008, a central piece of British Columbia’s climate change strategy. At first reading, she explained that the legislation fulfills a budget speech commitment to intro- duce a revenue-neutral carbon tax, the first of its kind in Canada. The purpose of the Act is to reduce the use of fossil fuels that generate greenhouse gas emissions within the province. Starting at an initial rate of $10 per tonne, effective from 1 July, consumers and businesses are required to pay an additional tax for gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane, and home-heating fuel. The Act also stipulates that all revenue gen- erated by the carbon tax will be offset by income tax reductions, and requires government to report annually on the amount of revenue collected to the Legislative Assembly.
During the passage of Bill 37, oppo- sition Members argued that the carbon tax would have a disproportionate impact across the province, especially in rural areas where home-heating costs are higher and public transit is less accessible. Rather than taxing con-
sumers, they advocated focusing on regulations for large industrial pol- luters. The Carbon Tax Act received Royal Assent on the final day of the spring sitting, 29 May 2008.
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION (RENEWABLE AND LOW CARBON FUEL REQUIREMENTS) ACT, 2008
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION (CAP AND TRADE) ACT, 2008
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION (EMISSIONS STANDARDS) STATUTES AMENDMENT ACT, 2008
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION (VEHICLE EMISSIONS STANDARDS) ACT, 2008
Four other pieces of legislation intro- duced this spring also comprise British Columbia government’s climate action plan. They elaborate on the targets outlined in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act, 2007, which requires the province to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020. Bill 16, Greenhouse Gas Reduction
(Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act 2008, was intro- duced by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Hon. Richard Neufeld.
He explained that the passage of this
Bill would aid in the province’s reduc- tion of greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring that a prescribed percentage of fuel supplied in B.C. comes from renewable energy sources, and by reg- ulating the carbon intensity of fuels used for transport. The other three Acts fall under the
portfolio of the Minister of Environ- ment, Hon. Barry Penner, and are all designed to bring the province closer to achieving the 33 per cent reduction in emissions. Bill 18, Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Cap and Trade) Act, 2008, outlines the framework that will allow British Columbia to participate in the Western Climate Initiative cap-and- trade system currently under develop- ment; and the other two statutes set emission standards. At second reading and committee
stage, opposition Members criticized both Bills 16 and 18 on the grounds that the enabling legislation relies too heavily on regulation, without provid- ing details about the government’s strategy for combating climate change, and was developed with little consulta- tion.Their motions to have Bills 16 and 18 sent to a parliamentary committee for further discussion were defeated on division.