We received this from Mark Reynolds, CCL US Executive Director, yesterday, by email. Whoop! Whoop!
“Today, Canada has shown true environmental leadership. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier that, in order to ensure a healthy climate, Canada will adopt a national price on carbon pollution starting in January 2019. Specifically, Canada will implement a carbon fee and dividend, with revenue from the fee returned directly to Canadians.
For the last eight years, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada has been asking the government to adopt this policy. Today, we congratulate our Canadian CCL volunteers, whose tireless work and enthusiasm have played a major role in today’s announcement. This welcome news could not come at a more crucial time for our climate. As the first country to implement a national carbon fee and dividend, Canada has shown us all that it is politically possible.
As Canada shows the way, we know it is no longer a matter of if, but when, other countries will follow their lead. Our hopes are high in the United States that the same engaged citizenship will lead to our own national climate solution. After all, we know it can be done.”
And here’s the rest of the story
Eight years of relentless lobbying by the volunteers of CCL Canada paid off this week with the announcement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that carbon fee and dividend will be the default policy for pricing carbon in Canada.
The policy is a backstop to cover the four provinces – Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick – that have not initiated carbon pricing policies of their own. Nearly half of Canada’s population lives in these provinces. The plan will assess a fee on carbon starting at $20 per ton and increasing $10 per ton each year until it reaches $50 in 2022. Revenue from the fee will be returned to households.
“We’re the little lobby that could,” said Cathy Orlando, CCL’s International Outreach Manager based in Sudbury, Ontario. “Our patience and persistence has been rewarded with an effective program that puts Canada on the path to meeting its global obligation on climate change. Today’s announcement is also an affirmation of CCL’s approach to engaging government with an attitude of appreciation, respect and being nonpartisan.”
Now let’s hope the rest of world – perhaps the UK next? – will follow suit.