Saskatchewan's provincial auditor says the province's carbon levy program for industrial emitters lacks public transparency. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks during a press conference before the 2024-2025 Saskatchewan budget is presented in Regina, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu
REGINA – Saskatchewan’s auditor says the province’s carbon levy program for industrial emitters lacks public transparency.
A report says the government has yet to fund any technologies to reduce emissions from dollars collected by heavy emitters.
It also says nearly half the emitters have exceeded their limits, but the Environment ministry does not report those results.
The auditor says the ministry has not publicly reported on the program’s performance, which makes it difficult to know if it’s creating desired environmental and economic benefits.
Saskatchewan’s program requires emitters to pay a carbon levy to the province if they go above emissions thresholds.
The government collected $121 million last year in levies and spent $4.4 million that year on initiatives related to climate change.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.
