ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

'We haven't made a decision on that': Feds consulting on post-2030 carbon tax hikes

Share

Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault says “no decision has been made†on whether the carbon price will continue to increase after the current 2030 goalpost, but that the federal government is in consultations to determine future targets by next year.

Asked if that means he is not ruling out more post-2030 increases, Guilbeault said "we haven't made a decision on that."

"We've started consultations to prepare the next phase of emissions reduction, so post 2030, in Canada, in fact, going to 2035," Guilbeault told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday.

Guilbeault added those consultations are "ongoing," and said the federal government has until next year to lay out its next round of climate targets "as per our United Nations commitments."

"But by 2025, there's no decision that has been made yet, other than we will continue increasing the price on pollution," he said, and pointed to the rebate payments — recently rebranded as the Canada Carbon Rebate — also going up.

The current $65-per-tonne carbon price is set to increase to $80 per tonne on April 1, with the impending hike forcing the issue to the political centre stage in recent months.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been holding "axe the tax" rallies since last summer, and this week upped the ante with a failed non-confidence motion in an attempt to topple the Liberals and kick off a "carbon tax election."

The carbon price is set to reach $170 a tonne by 2030, according to federal government targets.

Guilbeault said if the Conservatives or premiers who oppose the hike can point to a measure to fight climate change more effective than the carbon price — a marquee piece of the Liberals' climate policy — he’s eager to hear it.

"If there's a measure like that lying around under a rock somewhere, someone needs to show it to me, because I haven't seen it," he said.

The environment minister also reiterated that the federal government will not be implementing any more carve-outs in the program, despite significant pushback from the premiers of seven of the eight provinces where the policy is in place.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected