Bob Zimmer wants to know how much the country’s new carbon tax will affect the average family. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, the Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies pressed Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. The committee has just begun a study into Poverty Reduction Strategies. Zimmer estimated the tax will cost the average family $1,200 per year. According to a press release from Zimmer, Duclos responded by pointing to the Canada Child Benefit these families receive, as well as other initiatives introduced by the Liberal government. “I find it difficult to understand how the Liberal government can promote themselves as being for middle class families when they are giving families these benefits with one hand and then taking them back with the other,” said Zimmer following the meeting. “This carbon tax will drastically increase the cost of living for taxpayers and stretch family budgets to the breaking point.” The B.C. carbon tax, however, is returned to taxpayers by way of tax reductions.

Quick facts

• Provinces and territories will have flexibility in deciding how they implement carbon pricing: they can put a direct price on carbon pollution or they can adopt a cap-and-trade system. • Pricing will be based on greenhouse gas emissions and applied to a common and broad set of sources to ensure effectiveness. • The price on carbon pollution should start at a minimum of $10 per tonne in 2018 and rise by $10 a year to reach $50 per tonne in 2022. • Provinces and territories choosing a cap-and-trade system will need to reduce the number of greenhouse gas emission permits they make available to businesses. The number of available pollution permits will decrease every year, based on both emission cuts through to 2022 (equal or greater to what would be achieved by a direct price) and a 2030 target equal or greater to Canada’s. • The Government of Canada will provide a pricing system for provinces and territories that do not adopt one of the two systems by 2018. • Revenues from carbon pricing will remain with provinces and territories of origin. • Provinces and territories will use the revenues from this system as they see fit, whether it is to give it back to consumers, to support their workers and their families, to help vulnerable groups and communities in the North, or to support businesses that innovate and create good jobs for the future. • The Government will work with the territories to address their specific challenges. • The overall approach will be reviewed in 2022 to ensure that it is effective and to confirm future price increases. The review will account for actions by other countries.