VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A program meant to make BC more environmentally-friendly is about to hit a $30-million surplus, and that’s not good.

The Pacific Carbon Trust forces cash-strapped public institutions like schools and hospitals to buy “carbon credits” to keep them pollution-neutral; that money is supposed to go to private companies to make improvements.

Speaking live on News1130, Jordan Bateman with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it’s all so the province can claim it’s carbon neutral.

“Even though they’re still spewing carbon just as much as they were before, they kind of buy their way out of it by claiming that they’re reducing carbon in the private sector. It’s just corporate welfare, and it needs to stop,” he argues.

Bateman says the money from the Surrey and Vancouver School Districts could be better spent. “Between the two of them this year, they put in $1 million into carbon credits. That’s 10 teachers, 11 teachers… that’s 20 special education assistants.”

The province has made some changes to the Trust and is reviewing the whole thing right now. There’s no word on when any recommendations may come out.