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“This is not how I think Canadians expect the federal government to operate,” Saskatchewan Environment Minister Scott Moe told reporters Thursday. “It doesn’t speak to the collaboration that was put forward at the beginning of this process.”

The announcement was a “punitive direction from the federal government,” he said.

Today, the rubber hits the road

The majority of the money — $1.4 billion — will go to the provinces and territories to pay for greenhouse-gas reduction projects. The provinces have already suggested some projects, including building retrofits and an expanded electric-vehicle charging network in Ontario, and the connection of electricity grids in British Columbia and Alberta.

Each province and territory is eligible for a base of $30 million plus per capita funding.

The remaining $600 million will go toward a low-carbon economy challenge, to be launched this fall. Provinces, municipalities, indigenous governments and businesses can apply for money from that fund for their own projects that cut emissions. Saskatchewan and Manitoba are eligible for that part of the funding.

“Today, the rubber hits the road,” McKenna told reporters Thursday. “This is an opportunity for Canadians across the country to reduce the amount of energy they use and to save money while doing it.”

The low-carbon economy fund is designed to help Canada meet its Paris Agreement goal of cutting emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, a target originally set out by the Harper government.