The Saskatchewan NDP is accusing the government of burying a study it paid for that estimated the impact of the carbon tax would cost the province about $1 billion by 2030.

That study, done by Navius Research Inc., was never released.

Instead, the government commissioned a second study — done by the University of Regina — that showed the carbon tax would cost the province about $16 billion dollars.

Minister of Environment Dustin Duncan held an announcement highlighting the results of that study last June.

Environment Minister Dustin Duncan says Saskatchewan has rolled out a new set of targets to monitor and deal with the effects of climate change. (CBC)

NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the government should have released the first study showing the lower cost to the province.

"People care about climate change and they want to see us act and they want to see us do so in a way that has the least negative impact on the economy," Meili said. "This report that we're discussing could have helped do that. It's embarrassing that they chose to bury it."

Duncan said the government has concerns about some of the methodology used in the first study.

"We're fine with releasing the report and giving it to anybody that wants it, but because of the concerns we have we'd rather not post it to the website," Duncan said.

Duncan added both studies conclude the carbon tax would have a negative impact on the province.

Meili said the government is just playing politics with the two studies instead of coming up with their own climate change plan.

"I asked the premier the other day whether he had any targets for emissions and he refused to answer," Meili said. "This is a government that has been completely missing on this file."

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili. (CBC News)

Meili said one thing that has come out with the Navius report is something can be done about climate change.

"We can take action on climate change and it won't destroy our economy," he said.

He wants the government to look into what the cost will be to the economy if we don't act on climate change.

Duncan said that both reports show there would be economic harm to the province, to varying degrees.

"But both show that a carbon tax is not the right approach for the Province of Saskatchewan."