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“What we’re seeing is Albertans understanding the full breadth of the programs … and they’re beginning to see how the plan is moving together. There are a lot of different aspects to it; there are a lot of moving pieces.”

Phillips noted the government also plans to roll out new energy efficiency grants in March and a policy to give incentives to residential solar panels in the next few weeks as part of the funding allocation from carbon levy revenue.

Polls taken in 2016 showed strong opposition to the carbon tax, which boosts the cost of gasoline by 4.49 cents per litre, diesel by 5.35 cents per litre, propane by 3.08 cents per litre and natural gas by $1.011 per gigajoule.

Rick Fraser, Tory energy and environment critic, suggested Phillips is getting ahead of herself as she assesses public opinion on the carbon levy.

“I didn’t anticipate that people, the minute the carbon tax came in on Jan. 1, would go out and set their Dumpsters on fire and riot in the street,” he said, noting that he’s still hearing questions from the public about how the government will spend the carbon tax revenue.

“People are waiting to see. They don’t know, but truthfully, they’re not generally happy about it. I mean, I don’t think anybody’s happy about a new tax.”

The government has pledged to use money collected from the carbon tax — an estimated $1.2 billion in its first budget year — will be used in areas such as renewable energy, green infrastructure and transit programs, as well as rebates and energy efficiency programs.