The climate and green plan implementation act would:

  • address the threat of climate change and provides a blueprint for Manitoba to build a prosperous green economy while protecting the environment;
  • incorporate an effective and balanced carbon-pricing model that would be good for Canada and right for Manitoba as economic modelling shows Manitoba’s flat $25-per-tonne carbon price would achieve more emission reductions than the federal backstop, while saving Manitobans hundreds of dollars over the first five years;
  • establish a reporting process, a made-in-Manitoba climate and green fund, expert advisory council and an a low-carbon government office; and
  • repeal The Sustainable Development Act and The Climate Change and Emissions Reduction Act.

The industrial GHG emissions control and reporting act

  • Carbon emissions know no jurisdictional boundaries, and an effective carbon price encourages companies to reduce their emissions in a meaningful way rather than moving their operations to a different jurisdiction to avoid paying a carbon charge (known as carbon leakage).
  • The act would establish greenhouse-gas emission limits for regulated industrial facilities based on ambitious emissions-intensity benchmarks. It would also require operators to remit a credit or pay a $25 charge on each tonne of emissions that exceed their established emissions limit. This system is known as output-based pricing, and is already being used by other carbon pricing jurisdictions including Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
  • Output-based pricing will help keep costs low for affected facilities and safeguard competitiveness in the province, while retaining the incentive to reduce GHG emissions.

Water Protection Amendment Act

  • Amendments are proposed that would replace the Manitoba Water Council with the new Expert Advisory Council that would be established under the new climate and green plan implementation act.
  • This amalgamation would streamline administration and improves actions that could be
    co-ordinated under the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.

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Income Tax Amendment Act

  • Amendments are proposed which wouldsee the largest-ever enhancement to the basic personal amount (BPA) exemption.
  • The basic personal amount increases by $1,010 in both 2019 and 2020. This increases the BPA by a combined $2,020 by 2020.
  • This measure would remove over 31,000 taxpayers from the tax rolls and save individual Manitobans over $77 million in 2019 and an additional $78 million in 2020.

The Fuel Tax Amendment Act

  • The Fuel Tax Amendment Act would implements the $25-per-tonne carbon tax on fuel products.
  • It would enable industrial operations that are registered under The Industrial Greenhouse Gas Emissions Control and Reporting Act to purchase charge-free natural gas and receive a rebate for the charge paid on transportation fuels.
  • The carbon tax will be effective as of Sept. 1. Alternatively, if does not receive royal assent by that date, the implementation date will be Dec. 1.
  • It would repeals The Emissions Tax on Coal and Petroleum Coke Act as these products will be subject to carbon tax.
  • The Fuel Tax Act would be renamed The Fuel and Carbon Tax Act.