Nunavut’s carbon credit is set to decrease July 1
Quarterly payment to drop from $308 to $100
Nunavut Finance Minister Lorne Kusugak said Nunavut’s carbon tax credit will decrease because of a three-year exemption to the tax on home heating fuel in the territory. (File photo by Meral Jamal)
People in Nunavut are set to see a decrease in their territorial carbon tax credit starting July 1.
Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Brewster brought up the decrease in the Government of Nunavut’s quarterly payments, from $308 to $100, during Tuesday’s legislative assembly sitting.
“I am really concerned about how that will impact individuals and their families, so I wanted to seek some clarification,” Brewster said in an interview.
Brewster said Nunavut is “caught between a rock and a hard place” when it comes to the federal carbon tax.
The Arctic is seeing the impacts of climate change faster than almost any other region on Earth. At the same time, she said, the financial effect of the tax is also hitting Nunavut communities hard.
“We cannot be unresponsive to the disproportional impact of the policy such as the carbon tax have on our remote communities,” Brewster said.
Nunavut’s carbon credit is paid to Nunavummiut by the GN to help offset the federal carbon tax, which affects fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and home heating fuel.
The federal government introduced the carbon tax in 2019, hoping it will reduce the amount carbon-emitting fuels consumed in Canada.
Right now, the GN returns 50 per cent of the amount of carbon tax back into the pockets of Nunavummiut, with a goal to ease the adjustment to the tax.
The Nunavut government pays carbon tax rebates out of its budget, according to the GN’s website on the tax. These rebates depend on how much carbon tax is collected each year.
Finance Minister Lorne Kusugak explained the federal government’s three-year exemption on home heating fuel announced in October 2023 has significantly decreased the GN’s carbon tax revenue.
As well, the tax credit is not meant to be permanent, according to the GN.
“Starting in 2024, the GN will gradually reduce the value of the [Nunavut carbon tax rebate] until the program phases out in 2028,” the GN’s carbon tax website states.
In order to receive a carbon tax rebate, Nunavummiut must file their income tax return.
People who are late in filing their 2023 taxes will receive their full quarterly $308 rebates earmarked for last year, Kusugak said, even if those payments are made after July 1.
Northern premiers have long expressed opposition to the carbon tax, saying they believe it doesn’t take into consideration the realities of northern life.
“The GN supports national efforts to reduce climate change, but recognizes that Nunavummiut have fewer options to reduce their use of fossil fuels than southern Canadians,” states the GN’s website on Nunavut’s carbon credit.
is brewster a scientist? what does she know about global warming, axe the tax, no matter how much they tax us itll never make a difference in the world
This is the war tax
Are you a scientist?
Why does she need to be a scientist for her comments on the economic impacts of the tax to be valid?
Thanks to trudeau we pay the 2nd highest carbon tax in the world. Go south, more people and families living in tents and only eating food from food banks. Far left Liberal and ndp policies did this. It’s too bad nunavummiit are affected too
I think she is mostly stating that most of the communities are impacted on the fact that fossil fuels are carbon taxed, driving the price of shipped goods, which is already very high due to fly in capacity.
Nunavut should be exempt from the carbon tax. The tax is intended to incentivize the adoption of alternatives such as public transit, ride-sharing, solar generation, and heat pumps—options that aim to reduce emissions. However, these alternatives are not viable or do not exist in Nunavut. They do not address our reliance on fossil fuels for essential activities. Gasoline is needed for subsistence harvesting, heating fuel for our homes, and diesel for our electrical plants. Electric cars are not practical here as they would be powered by diesel power plants, and public transit does no exist in any community!
Unlike southern Canada, most people in Nunavut do not own their homes; instead, they are either renting or living in staff housing provided by their employers. This lack of homeownership limits their ability to make modifications to improve energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. Renters and those in staff housing have no control over the implementation of energy-saving measures such as improved insulation, energy-efficient windows, or modern heating systems. As a result, they are unable to take steps to offset the financial burden imposed by the carbon tax, leaving them disproportionately affected without any viable means to mitigate its impact.
Nunavut contributes less than 0.1% to Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions, yet faces the highest penalties. Despite contributing the least to Canada’s and the world’s carbon emissions, Nunavut is disproportionately affected by the carbon tax.
The Government of Nunavut should challenge the Federal Government on this issue in court, as there are no feasible alternatives for us in the short to medium term.
Time to vote for conservative party. Trudeau took some guns away from Canada already. And it looks like he’s not done. Vote for change.
4 more years, 4 more years, go Lorrie.
Axe the tax!! 100% of the Inuit in Nunavut should be tired of the liberals b a by now and I have been since Trudeau took office. Conservatives seem to be the only party that is for the people and not these rich people’s groups that want to enrich themselves.
Yaaay!! YEE-HAW!!!🤘
Canada’s total impact on the global carbon is 1.5% and no one can agree on how this can be proven and it is only theoretical data fudged by a computer model. To impose the burden of such heavy tax on people under the pretention it will stop forest fires or have any impact on a global scale is the most ridiculous lie ever told by any government. You are being manipulated by ill intended dishonorables.
If you actually make an effort to do in-house research just pull out your iPhone, and type in DEFORESTATION FRONTS – DRIVERS AND RESPONSES IN A CHANGING WORLD – SUMMARY! Notice this trend HOW Provinces and Territories can suck-up with this current Fed’s!?! The Minister of Environment & Climate Change appear to have no ideology but to studder without any Merit! I doubt the Minister ever made an effort to actually meet and consult with Indigenous, Deforestation Fronts!
Notice this trend impact of Increase Gas House Emissions, Disruption of Water Cycles, Increase Soil Erosion, & Disruption of Livelihood!
Information visit – https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation
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Federal Government should ban all Coal exports to China if they were serious about the environment Coal exports to China continue to grow every year.
Either the federal government is for the environment all the way or they are not. There is no middle ground especially the way they are tax Canadians to death.
What is that saying, “can’t have your cake and eat it too”