By: Nick Clark
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Do you know how carbon tax dollars are spent in Alberta in support of a greener province? Here’s my perspective.
It starts with Alberta’s Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC).
First, it’s worth noting that Alberta was ahead of the curve long before the summit in Paris. Those in the back rooms of organizations such as the CCEMC have been hard at work for several years. The CCEMC was created in 2009, as a tool, to help support Alberta’s Climate Change Strategy. It's a not-for-profit organization focused on helping Alberta reduce green house gas emissions and adapt to climate change. The CCEMC has funded millions of dollars in projects in Alberta as well as around the globe.
CCEMC has invested in a number of interesting projects at GE, Suncor, Canadian Fertilizer Institute, Weyerhaeuser, Encana, Cenovus, Nova Chemicals and various Alberta municipalities. In addition, the non-for-profit helps to fund innovative carbon-use technology projects undertaken at McGill University, UBC, University of Maryland, and California plus many others.
Alberta is doing its bit on the global stage and CCEMC is worth watching as the government increases the carbon tax revenue. This is a great web site that will allow you to track where the money is going.
Was this a wise investment?
It is not for us to judge and CCEMC has a well established Governance & Accountability committee charged with the responsibility of oversight. But a fair question to ask: “How much of the project was completed and did the money gifted to ENMAX end up tilting the competitive playing field or negatively impact other companies competing the PV Solar industry?”
We have always supported the concept of micro generation in Alberta and want to encourage CCEMC to invest in this sector.
CCEMC is doing a lot of good work and is putting Alberta on the world stage. Just like in any business, not all the investments will produce results. Those that do will help Alberta be a leader in the world. If you want to know where your tax dollars are going…follow CCEMC.
We don’t have the answers to questions that are swirling around on Climate Change.
Every day, we hear of the world’s most vulnerable people at increased risk of drought and crop failures, disease, flooding and other extreme weather events as well as conflict over increasingly scarce resources. The prevailing argument is the industrialized nations contributed to the carbon problem that, in turn, is causing world temperatures to rise and many will argue that we have a moral responsibility to address the global issue of Climate Change.
Yes, we believe that everyone should be willing to participate in doing what they can with a note of caution.
In our current economic climate, we need to be careful not to bankrupt ourselves at the same time. If we let the Federal and Provincial governments tax and grab, it could turn out to be costly for those who are out of work and facing increased unemployment. Those in our oil patch who are being threatened have legitimate concerns. Given investments in renewable energy, new jobs will be created.
Even so, we still need to be moving down a positive path towards an attainable solution.
You will see in the news there is a bonanza of investment projects on the horizon. A recent Bloomberg report quoted there is a need for $12.1-trillion investment needed for renewable and clean technology solutions. Again, where is the money coming from? The optics must be for doing the right thing. When the Alberta government puts the next round of carbon tax increases into motion, maybe it is time for consumers to be told where the carbon tax dollars have gone. We want to know where dollars have been allocated in the past and how the next round of investment strategies will be applied by the CCEMC for the future.
Think Green. Be Green. Go Green
For an Environmental Choice that is affordable visit: www.GreenAlbertaEnergy.ca
Do you know how carbon tax dollars are spent in Alberta in support of a greener province? Here’s my perspective.
It starts with Alberta’s Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC).
First, it’s worth noting that Alberta was ahead of the curve long before the summit in Paris. Those in the back rooms of organizations such as the CCEMC have been hard at work for several years. The CCEMC was created in 2009, as a tool, to help support Alberta’s Climate Change Strategy. It's a not-for-profit organization focused on helping Alberta reduce green house gas emissions and adapt to climate change. The CCEMC has funded millions of dollars in projects in Alberta as well as around the globe.
The CCEMC is at the hub
Bookmark CCEMC and monitor the organization’s successes, if you want to know about climate change in Alberta, and where your carbon tax dollars are going. Many of their programs are positive and, depending on your perspective, others might be questionable or hard to understand. The CCEMC is at the centre of the hub and the Board of Directors chaired by Kathleen Sendall represent a broad cross section of our economy and social fabric of Alberta.CCEMC has invested in a number of interesting projects at GE, Suncor, Canadian Fertilizer Institute, Weyerhaeuser, Encana, Cenovus, Nova Chemicals and various Alberta municipalities. In addition, the non-for-profit helps to fund innovative carbon-use technology projects undertaken at McGill University, UBC, University of Maryland, and California plus many others.
Alberta is doing its bit on the global stage and CCEMC is worth watching as the government increases the carbon tax revenue. This is a great web site that will allow you to track where the money is going.
What about the $14.5 million gift to ENMAX?
While there have been some very good success stories, here is an example of one that that I still fail to really understand. (Of course, I don’t know their motivation or background behind this expenditure.) Yet, on the surface, CCEMC set aside $14.5 million as a grant to ENMAX to promote micro generation solar in Alberta.Was this a wise investment?
It is not for us to judge and CCEMC has a well established Governance & Accountability committee charged with the responsibility of oversight. But a fair question to ask: “How much of the project was completed and did the money gifted to ENMAX end up tilting the competitive playing field or negatively impact other companies competing the PV Solar industry?”
We have always supported the concept of micro generation in Alberta and want to encourage CCEMC to invest in this sector.
As a sidebar note:
Last week, a new Facebook page launched to help Albertans get involved in the Solar Patch. The purpose of this Facebook group is tp help connect the growing number of careers in solar PV coming from engineering, design, development, procurement and construction companies across the province.
Get involved and participate: facebook.com/groups/lassothesun/
CCEMC is doing a lot of good work and is putting Alberta on the world stage. Just like in any business, not all the investments will produce results. Those that do will help Alberta be a leader in the world. If you want to know where your tax dollars are going…follow CCEMC.
We don’t have the answers to questions that are swirling around on Climate Change.
Every day, we hear of the world’s most vulnerable people at increased risk of drought and crop failures, disease, flooding and other extreme weather events as well as conflict over increasingly scarce resources. The prevailing argument is the industrialized nations contributed to the carbon problem that, in turn, is causing world temperatures to rise and many will argue that we have a moral responsibility to address the global issue of Climate Change.
Yes, we believe that everyone should be willing to participate in doing what they can with a note of caution.
In our current economic climate, we need to be careful not to bankrupt ourselves at the same time. If we let the Federal and Provincial governments tax and grab, it could turn out to be costly for those who are out of work and facing increased unemployment. Those in our oil patch who are being threatened have legitimate concerns. Given investments in renewable energy, new jobs will be created.
Estimated $81 billion to power the green agenda in Canada
The Canadian Climate Action Network, a coalition of environmental groups, says the federal and provincial ministers could create a million new jobs with an aggressive green agenda — powered by almost $81 billion in government spending over the next five years. Yet, where do you think that the money is coming from? $81 billion is a lot of money to take out of the pockets of Canadians, especially when our economy is in the tank, and the Canadian dollar is sliding towards record lows.Even so, we still need to be moving down a positive path towards an attainable solution.
You will see in the news there is a bonanza of investment projects on the horizon. A recent Bloomberg report quoted there is a need for $12.1-trillion investment needed for renewable and clean technology solutions. Again, where is the money coming from? The optics must be for doing the right thing. When the Alberta government puts the next round of carbon tax increases into motion, maybe it is time for consumers to be told where the carbon tax dollars have gone. We want to know where dollars have been allocated in the past and how the next round of investment strategies will be applied by the CCEMC for the future.
Think Green. Be Green. Go Green
For an Environmental Choice that is affordable visit: www.GreenAlbertaEnergy.ca