Government Introduces Carbon Tax Fairness for Families Act

Removing Carbon Tax from SaskEnergy bills will save families $400 in 2024.

On Friday, Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy Dustin Duncan introduced The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act to protect Saskatchewan families from the unfair and unaffordable federal carbon tax. 

On October 30, Premier Scott Moe announced that SaskEnergy will stop collecting the carbon tax on January 1, 2024, in response to the federal government's decision to stop charging the carbon tax on home heating oil, which primarily benefits families in Atlantic Canada. Moe said the federal government should extend the exemption to all forms of home heating, but if they refused to do that, the province would stop collecting the carbon tax on SaskEnergy bills.

The removal of the federal carbon tax from SaskEnergy bills, effective January 1, 2024, will save the average Saskatchewan family approximately $400 in 2024.

"Our government is taking the necessary steps to protect Saskatchewan families' ability to afford to heat their homes this winter by removing the federal carbon tax from the natural gas bills of residential customers," Duncan said. "This legislation will give our government, and me as Minister, the sole authority and responsibility for decisions regarding the collection and remittance of the federal carbon tax on SaskEnergy bills while also providing protection for SaskEnergy employees and board members."

The bill amends The SaskEnergy Act to designate the Crown as the sole registered distributor of natural gas in Saskatchewan, and invests all powers, rights, authorities, responsibilities and obligations for the purposes of Part 1 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (Canada), to the Government of Saskatchewan. These authorities include providing the Minister with the sole decision-making authority to pay, or withhold payment, of any charge, tax, levy, remittance or other payment required by Part 1 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (Canada).

Under this legislation, the Crown will indemnify SaskEnergy and all current and former directors, officers, employees, agents, members, affiliates, and other representatives from all damages, costs, charges and expenses, including legal fees, that the corporation or individual incurs with respect to any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other matter in which the corporation or individual is implicated in relation to the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (Canada).

"We still believe the federal government should remove the carbon tax on everything for everyone," Duncan said. "But until that happens, our government will ensure fairness for Saskatchewan families by taking the carbon tax off their SaskEnergy bills.”

A petition is available, calling upon the Government of Canada to immediately remove the carbon tax from all home heating costs across Canada to reduce inflation and drive down the rising cost of living faced by all Canadians coast to coast. To obtain a copy of the petition, contact your local MLA.