A recent letter from Valhalla Condominiums in Edmonton said "rising utility costs" due to the carbon tax is about to raise the cost of living for owners — to the tune of $132,000..In a letter dated June 30, the Board of Directors at Valhalla Condominiums said a review of the financial situation concerning the rising utility costs due to increasing carbon tax levies deemed it necessary to levy two special assessments.."Please review previously sent President’s Reports that discuss the reasoning behind these assessments at length. Otherwise please see below for the motions ratified at the meeting of the Board of Directors on June 15," said the board in the letter..Motions Ratified on June 15 included in the letter to owners:.Raise a unit factor Special Assessment for $132,000.00 effective June 01, 2023, for an unbudgeted federal carbon tax in 2022 and 2023. Amounts payable by owners by July 31.."Your special assessment for this Part 1 assessment is $765.60," one owner was told in the letter..Raise a unit factor Special Assessment for $150,000.00 for carbon tax effective September 01. Amounts are payable by owners in equal installments by October 15, January 15, 2024; April 15, 2024.."Your special assessment for this Part 2 assessment is $870," another letter to an owner stated..An owner at Valhalla Condominiums told the Western Standard on Tuesday, the increase "doesn't account for increases to gas or food costs."."I'm not very happy that this cost is coming up at this time," the owner said. He didn't want to be identified over fear of reprisal from the condo board.."The carbon tax was supposed to be net neutral and that is clearly not the case.".The owner said the increase is way more than the feds said it would be.."To Trudeau, stop taking my money," the owner said..The Western Standard reached out to the Board of Directors at Valhalla Condominiums for comment, but so far hasn't heard back..READ MORE: Guilbeault's new ‘carbon tax’ is the ‘social cost on carbon’.In April, Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault introduced a new evaluation method for the economic cost of greenhouse gas emissions called the “social cost of carbon” at a climate change conference in Ottawa..The “social cost of carbon” incorporates updated scientific knowledge and economic models and shows that the economic impact of greenhouse gas emissions is nearly five times higher than using previous models..“The updates to the social cost of carbon simply show that every tonne of greenhouse gas is costing the economy more,” said Guilbeault..“Great discussion at #NetZero Leadership Summit on the urgent need for ambitious climate action in Canada,” Guilbeault tweeted..“We must stay on track for our pollution reduction targets for 2030 and beyond to ensure a strong and sustainable future. @Canada2020”.According to Guilbeault, the new model suggests the actual cost is closer to $247 per tonne..This year, the cost has further increased to $261 per tonne and by 2030 it will go up to $294 per tonne..“Pause for a moment to understand what this signifies,” said Guilbeault..“Every tonne of carbon we reduce this year saves society as a whole $261 — and we are talking in terms of cutting megatonnes: millions of tonnes.”
