British Columbia Carbon Tax Criticized on Eve of Implementation

The timing of this new tax is unfortunate what with gas now selling @ 1.45-1.49/litre (approx. $5.85/US gallon). Williams Lake is a very small logging town whose major employer- a paper/pulp mill is closing. The chance of an economic turn around soon is remote, alot of people will lose their homes and move away. In the more populated area around major cities- the tax is viewed as a necsessary evil, but atleast we have some options for public transportation, something the smaller communities (and BC has many) dont have access too.

Taxes have no end, have they? If we only multiplied in proportion to our resources we would have no need for climate and fuel worries. If we don't and somehow manage to fix these issues, new ones will crop up in their place, as it has been throughout history.
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The real problem with the carbon tax in BC is that 95% of the electricity already comes from renewable sources (AKA hydro electric). It's one thing for an economy which derives its electricity primarily from coal to start shutting down power plants and replacing it with alternatives, but in the case of BC, almost all of the CO2 generation comes from cars.

This means that the cuts will be much more expensive because of the very small return it will have on the investment.

So let me get this straight - the government is going to tax gas some more and then give a $100 cheque to BC resident to find alternative ways to go green. They are then going to lower personal income tax to help offset the fact that they are taxing so that people have more disposable income. With that disposable income - are they not going to be buying gas?

The big question here is - how many people buy gas and drive around all day going wahoo - gas - yeah burn baby burn! I think everyone would like to spend less money on gas. I am all for reducing gas consumption and CO2, all for looking into alternatives modes of travel and energy savings - however I am not sure how this plan accomplishes that. Gas goes up 3 cents all the time - we still consume.

Hmmmm....

Cheers - Eric
blog.pickuppal.com

Since I actually live here (now in Vancouver, but I used to live in the Interior) I'm directly affected by this and I have an idea how people in the area feel.

Personally, I feel this is a good thing. Many in the greater Vancouver area think so too, even though there are more people living in the suburbs than there are in Vancouver itself. This isn't necessarily a problem for commuting though, since much of the industry and commerce is located outside of the Vancouver city limits anyway. The city has also had a long-standing policy (about the last 10 years I'd guess) of intentionally making car commuting into the city core difficult while at the same time expanding rapid transit service. We don't have the typical American-style highway jumble feeding the city centre, that's for sure.

Even so, plenty of people are still annoyed with the government about the impending gas price increase. They just have options.

The interior on the other hand, is an entirely different kettle of fish. I used to live in the small city of Prince George (pop 75,000), where they actually had public transit. But it was a kind of token-effort public transit. You'd be lucky if you saw three people on a bus at once during the morning rush. Buses would come once every half hour at peak times, every hour at off-peak times, and not at all after about 7 or 8 pm. In no small part because bus service was so bad, hardly anyone used it at all, and all but the very poorest residents owned cars, no matter what shape they're in.

And that's the "big city", according to most people who live in the north and central interior. Places like Williams Lake have no transit at all except where the local sawmill or mine has a company bus picking people up.

Small cars are generally seen as being impractical for most people. There's plenty of snow in the winter - you can expect it to be on the roads for 4 or 5 months - and driving something with 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive (my parents love their Subaru) is largely seen as a necessity. Anyone who needs to drive on logging access roads need high ground clearance too. More than half of all vehicles are trucks and SUVs, and I don't think I've seen a single one that had any bling to it. The copious road salt and sand they put on the roads in winter means any vehicle older than 4 years is rusty.

The culture is also vastly different there. Most of the industry in the interior has something to do with either logging or mining. And for the past 40 years or so, Environmentalists have been the bane of their existance. Even so, the issue of global warming is beginning to be taken seriously. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's gained widespread acceptance either. Because of people's absolute reliance on cars - especially of the gas-guzzling kind - this new tax is going to be quite a shock, even with the resulting decrease in income tax. There may just be a taxpayer revolt like the mayor says.

The only ray of sunshine really, is that Industry will be taking on more of the tax burden than they are now - for the most part businesses hardly pay any tax at all thanks to various loopholes. At the same time, the logging industry needs that like a hole in the head right now, since various unrelated factors have all but buried it as is.

@ Martin Smith
BC is actually ~85% renewable (mainly hydro) power, and over all we are a net importer of electricity from surrounding provinces and states. so if you take that into consideration BC is even lower percentage of renewable because of the coal oil and natural gas that Alberta and Washington use.
My two cents on this issue... The carbon tax is a good thing, it should have been more though say 4 cents. We should have not received the checks, it should have gone into something more direct and controlled like public transit or offsetting green roof costs. As for Williams lake. it is a small community people can bike around in the good weather months, and you know what, you don't need a huge truck or SUV there regardless of whatever anyone thinks. It doesn't snow that much, the weather isn't that bad, and for the small amount this tax is, and it can be easily offset by smarter driving techniques, planned and efficient routs/outings.
Stop complaining and adapt.

I think the idea of the rebate checks and corresponding tax cuts is to say "We don't want you to have less money overall, we just want you to spend it differently."
As for how we should deal with those hardest hit, I really had to think about it. Part of me wants to be vindictive and tell them they should have seen the warning signs, but when I force myself to stop and think I realize how few people here in the states where I live have any real understanding of technology, science, economic trends, available resources vs. consumption, etc. I think of how I'd feel if it was my family involved. That makes me more generous.
I don't think we should be giving anyone subsidies on gas or fuel oil. However, grants or interest-free loans to low-income residents for improving home insulation, or putting in geothermal heat exchange systems, or covering the difference in cost between a car and a more efficient car or hybrid would be a great decision. Not only would it be politically good for those who enact it, it would have GHG reduction effects as well.

I live in BC and I expect to save about $700 a year with the new tax cut, carbon tax and PST exemption. I will pay less taxes overall and many items are PST exempt if they can help reduce my carbon footprint. It is true people that live in rural areas will pay more carbon tax if they dive large trucks then if they drive a small car. They can control how much they pay, most people in Williams lake do not carry sheets of plywood around but still have a shiny truck. My father has a big V8 truck and only hauls around his Skidoo and that should cost more, it should no longer be subsidized.
I believe the mayor is trying to fight an issue he can possibly affect some change on. As opposed to the mill closing and the fact that we are demanding more oil and it is costing us more(high gas prices). If Williams lake (a nice place to visit) dies as a town it will not be because of the carbon tax.
Chris, BC tax payer.

I really don't understand how any one with half a brain can think this is a good thing. Let explain this to the small minded people here who belive in everything they read. This really isn't about the environment, carbon foot prints, or climate change. This is about green...money, and control.

If you belive that the government is going to keep its hands off this money and pass it on to you or what not then your stupid. If you think that the government "cares" about the environment then your crazy. The government wants money, and the government wants more control over its people just look at all the new smoking laws more control. Governments like this are power hungry money loving pigs.

Besides the government the environmentalist groups are pissing themselves because they won. They like the government love the fact that they can control every one else. These people put plants before people and animals before prosperity. They only care about their narrow view of the world and any one against them is a enemy. Environmentalist are a truly sick and twisted kind.

What this boils down to is this "Green is the new Red". Truth in its most hurtful form. Communism plain and simple. Take away the rights of the people and give more power to the government. Thats what is going on here in Canada and in the States. Two countries that shout freedom and then take it away for a few bucks and a bit of power. Truly, truly horrifying.

And the worst thing of all people like a few previous posters fall for it. Soon smokers will be sent to concentration camps and people who own big trucks and gas guzzling cars will be put in jail. And Anyone who disagrees with the will of the government will be put to death. All because we are to stupid to stand up and say "Enough is enough."

Thats the truth, hope you can live with yourselves.

Have a nice day

I live in rural BC near Prince George, riding my bike or walking to work is not an option because not only it is too far but also too dark and cold, icy and dangerous in the winter. People like Martin Smith are clueless snobs who have obviously never set one little toe out of the lower mainland. If there was a bus or train available I would take it. What annoys me is because I live so far away and now with the short sighted carbon tax, not only will I pay more at the gas pump but my food, clothes and other necessities will also cost more. Fortunately I drive a VW beetle which gets 1000K per 55 litre tank of diesel.