• About
  • Join / Donate
  • Contact
Friday, September 22, 2023
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home *Opinion*

Hey New Brunswick government, check your carbon tax facts! 

by Greg Goubko
April 5, 2021
Reading Time: 2min read
Hey New Brunswick government, check your carbon tax facts! 

Flooding in downtown Fredericton during the historic 2019 spring flood. Photo by James West for the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.

We are all living in a climate emergency. The purpose of the carbon tax is to immediately reduce emissions and fund clean energy projects. The way the New Brunswick government is spending carbon tax revenue is absurd! And these are the facts.

The recent $5 million disbursed to nuclear developers, ARC, to subsidize the potential development of a nuclear reactor (SMR) highlights obvious program deficiencies. Not only is the technology expensive, but there is no guarantee that it can even be developed, and if it can, the timelines to develop SMRs don’t match-up with the immediate need to reduce emissions. Not to mention, it infringes on Indigenous rights (see Wolastoq Grand Council Resolution on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Waste on Traditional Wolastoq Territory).

In addition to spending money poorly, New Brunswick left more than a quarter of the revenue ($10 million) unspent. Seems a bit fishy when there are literally tens of thousands of people in the province living in energy poverty (making trade-offs between heating their homes and putting food on the table). Investing in energy efficiency retrofits for these folks would not only reduce emissions and improve quality of life but also be a significant saving for the healthcare system by improving the mental and physical health of those living in energy poverty. And if not energy efficiency, why not spend the money on utility solar PV, wind, and storage solutions, or rebates on electric vehicles?

There’s no excuse. Carbon tax money is needed and needs to be better managed. An independent social and environmental body should oversee disbursements and/or the feds should better enforce provincial spending. It would also make sense to re-examine carbon allowances and prices. Big polluters need to pony up significantly more money per tonne to adequately curb emissions. Hey NB government, this is getting ridiculous!

Greg Goubko has co-developed capitalization strategies for community-benefitting projects since 2014. They currently work at Sierra Club Canada Foundation as the Clean Energy Campaigner for Atlantic Canada, and is collaborating with diverse groups of people to co-produce and co-execute a just and inclusive energy transition. Greg also participates as a core representative of the Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB).

Tags: carbon taxClimate Changeclimate crisisGreg GoubkoNew BrunswicknuclearWolastoq Grand Council
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

A photo of the author, Shelley Petit.
Disabilities

Commentary: Discrimination is rampant across campuses in New Brunswick

September 12, 2023

As so many young people are starting up their first weeks of university, it seems like a great time to...

Fredericton takes part in ‘Fridays For Future’ global climate strike
Canada

LETTERS: Phase out fossil fuels and make polluters pay for climate crisis

September 8, 2023

At the end of the hottest summer on record, the NB Media Co-op editorial board joins New Brunswickers in calling...

A group of people are gathered on a dirt mound. A red radioactive symbol is next to them.
Environment

COMMENTARY: NB Power has its head stuck in uranium

September 1, 2023

NB Power seems to want to be a nuclear utility no matter how much it costs or whether or not...

A book cover featuring a bottle opener on a red background. The title reads, "Booze, Cigarettes, and Constitutional Dust-Ups."
Acadie

COMMENTARY: The unBEERable Lightness of Being “… in this place”

August 16, 2023

This was supposed to be a review of Ryan Manucha’s Booze, Cigarettes, and Constitutional Dust-Ups: Canada’s Quest for Interprovincial Trade,...

Load More

Recommended

No Content Available
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join / Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join / Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In