New Brunswick launching own carbon tax challenge, making new emissions plan

FREDERICTON—New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says he’s committed to meeting and exceeding Ottawa’s emission targets, but is expanding his province’s fight against the federal carbon tax.

Last week, the new Tory government announced it will intervene in legal challenges launched by Saskatchewan and Ontario, but now Higgs says New Brunswick will also launch its own legal challenge of the carbon tax.

He says the proposed federal backstop puts New Brunswick at a disadvantage, and if it remains in place, New Brunswickers will be paying the country’s highest tax on gasoline by 2022.

Higgs says his government will endorse the recommendations of the New Brunswick Climate Change Action plan released two years ago, and will develop regulations to deal with large industrial emitters.

Lois Corbett, executive director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, says she’s glad the government is endorsing the action plan, but says the government is weakening the targets.

Green Leader David Coon says the court challenges will fail and be a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.