Monday October 30, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
SECTIONS: POLITICS
BC Premier David Eby today said the federal heat pump rebate support should be applied across Canada not just in Nova Scotia.
He was referring to the federal government’s announcement of heat pump rebates to residents of Nova Scotia whose households are heated with oil.
“Do it in an equitable way across Canada,” says Eby. He said he is disappointed that the federal government is “focusing on a particular type of heating rather than on people”.
Background:
The carbon tax has been applied by the federal government for several years, presuming that by raising the cost of heating fuel (and gasoline) would prompt people to shift to greener solutions.
But with the cost of living being onerous for many in recent years, that financial pressure did not prompt a shift. Green technologies are costly to bring onstream.
Lobbying the federal government:
“There are certainly moments of frustration. But they will turn a corner with us, I just hope it’s sooner rather than later,” said Eby in a live media teleconference today. He mentioned that BC continues to lobby the federal government on better ways to manage the impacts of the carbon tax.
Liberals have made a shift:
Meanwhile, although pundits have been challenging the timing of heat hump support funding and policy-related stances (since the October 26 federal announcement), Canadians should take note of a big shift.
The Liberal government is showing the first signs of using a ‘carrot’ rather than ‘stick’ when it comes to the controversial carbon tax. Making people pay more for fuel didn’t ignite a shift. And the carbon tax rebate to lower-income households also did help, because people in that income bracket are cash-strapped for pretty much everything.
Premiers meeting Nov 5 & 6:
There is going to be a Council of the Federation meeting of Canada’s premiers in Nova Scotia November 5 and 6, announced today.