Nunavut wants more details on Trudeau government’s carbon pricing plan

Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski, left, Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna and Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod at the Northern Premier’s Forum in Kugluktuk last year. All three premiers have told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that they want help with adaptation to climate change — but they don’t like carbon pricing. (FILE PHOTO)

The Government of Nunavut isn’t happy with the federal government’s plan to impose carbon pricing on all jurisdictions that don’t already have one, but the territory is still waiting to hear if it’s eligible for some exemptions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed Oct. 3 his plans to implement carbon pricing, a scheme to force provinces and territories to place a surcharge or levy of $10 per tonne of carbon-based fuel starting in 2018, and increasing to $50 per tonne by 2022.

Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna has sided with his territorial counterparts on the issue, saying an imposed national tax on carbon could damage the northern economy.

“The geographic remoteness and harsh winter climate of Nunavut force high transportation and energy costs on Nunavummiut,” Taptuna said in an Oct. 4 statement, following Trudeau’s announcement.

“A price on carbon would likely inflict substantial costs on the people of Nunavut, yet achieve little reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

But Taptuna said his government has been assured by Trudeau and the federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna that the “unique nature” of the North will be taken into account.

“We await those details,” Taptuna said.

Taptuna said Nunavut’s greenhouse gas emissions account for just 0.1 per cent of Canada’s total emissions, about the same ratio as its population compared with the rest of Canada.

The territory’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2013-2013 were 700,000 tonnes (the GN did not provide emission statistics for other years).

British Columbia already has a carbon tax in place, while Alberta has plans to implement its own in 2018.

Quebec joined a cap-and-trade program in 2014, a system in which the government puts a limit on the overall level of carbon pollution from industry, while Ontario plans to do the same next year.

Provincial governments that have their own carbon pricing plans in place keep that revenue, while the federal government has said it will also return any imposed carbon tax revenue to the jurisdiction where it was paid.