EDMONTON, AB: Alberta’s UCP government introduced a new carbon tax on large industrial emitters today with the tabling of the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system. The TIER replaces the NDP’s carbon tax that was applied both to industry and non-industry alike..UCP Environment Minister Jason Nixon did not call the new tax a tax, but emphasized that it will not effect families..“Industry has made it clear they don’t want Ottawa dictating carbon pricing in Alberta. We’re standing up for Alberta’s job creators, like oil and gas, by bringing forward TIER, which is a sensible, innovative approach to reducing emissions and protecting our shared environment. The system will help industries create emissions-reducing technologies and solutions that keep businesses competitive without the need for nickelling and diming Alberta families.”.The new regulation will require electricity generators to meet a “good-as-best-gas” benchmark, and will mandate a 10 per cent reduction in carbon emissions in other forms of generation..TIER appears to grudgingly accept the federal carbon tax by allowing small and medium industrial oil and gas producers to opt into it as a way of shielding themselves from direct taxation from Ottawa..As of publishing, it is not clear if the Trudeau government will accept Alberta’s new industry-focused carbon tax as sufficient to meet its targets.
