Help me understand why we are paying 25-per cent carbon tax
Letter to the Editor
Can somebody explain to me why residents in British Columbia are paying a carbon tax of 25% (check your Fortis bill) on natural gas to heat our homes? I agree that greenhouse warming is occurring and that reasonable and rational strategies must be developed to reverse this serious and urgent threat to our environment. British Columbia introduced a carbon tax in 2008 and since then the Federal Government has mandated that all provinces will put a price on carbon by then end of 2018. There are many reasons to use carbon pricing– in short it can be used to influence human behavior. In this case encourage people to use less natural gas or switch to alternative fuels. So we can reduce our use (i.e. turn the thermostat down), or use it more efficiently (i.e. install an energy efficient furnace), but what is the alternative fuel? Electricity would cost 3-4 times more to heat our homes and in the case of Fort Nelson it is produced from natural gas. Will the current NDP Government provide any relief? Doubtful since they increased the carbon tax once they took office. On one hand provincial governments promote natural gas as a clean and green fuel and important to our economic future (LNG industry), on the other hand they punish residents with a 25% tax on using the best option to heat our homes. What am I missing?
Stewart Sawin
Fort Nelson
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