Feds redirecting carbon tax revenue initially earmarked for Manitoba schools after refusal by Pallister

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Josh Crabb Reporter

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Five million dollars in carbon tax revenue initially earmarked for green projects at Manitoba schools will be redirected to municipalities, universities, or hospitals, according to the federal government.

Last week Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said the province wouldn’t work with Ottawa to distribute the money because he saw the move as a public relations exercise to promote the carbon tax.

A spokesperson for Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said that money will now flow to other entities.

“In the coming weeks we will be releasing details of how the money will be redirected to help Manitoba’s municipalities, universities, or hospitals fight climate change and save money on energy efficiency,” said spokesperson Bronwen Jervis in an email to CTV Winnipeg. “Unfortunately, there appears to be no precedent of the federal government providing funding to school boards without coordinating with the provincial government.”

McKenna announced late last month $60 million of the revenue from the federal carbon tax will go to elementary and secondary schools in New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan – four provinces where the tax has taken effect because they do not have carbon-pricing systems of their own that meet rules laid out by the federal government.

Ninety per cent of federal carbon tax revenues generated in Manitoba and other provinces will go back to individuals through rebates. The remaining 10 per cent is earmarked for schools, hospitals, small businesses and other institutions.

Jervis said the three other provinces where the federal carbon tax has taken effect have agreed to work with Ottawa to distribute the revenue to schools.

“We had hoped the province would work with our government to provide these funds to Manitoba’s schools, to help them be better equipped to fight climate change--we’ve all seen students and kids marching in the street, worried about what climate change will mean for their future,” Jervis wrote. “It’s unfortunate that Premier Pallister is standing in the way of funding that would benefit students and teachers in his province.

“Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick have said they will work with us to provide their portion of the pollution pricing funding for schools.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires called this a "rushed, pre-election stunt from Ottawa to reimburse a tiny portion of the rising federal carbon tax that should never have been taken from Manitobans in the first place.

"Instead of hastily dropping these attempted distractions the federal government should recognize the massive investments Manitobans have already made in clean, green energy sources and acknowledge our unique ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions here and beyond our borders."

The spokesperson said McKenna and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should respect the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan and support the action that's taking place in the province.

RELATED IMAGES Environment Minister Catherine McKenna rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand