Dispelling The Myths About Carbon Pricing

Canadians want action on climate change. We agree that we need to do more. We know that we must quickly lower our greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). And there is general consent that pricing carbon is the best way to reduce Canada’s GHGs. Putting a price on pollution should be a no-brainer.

And so, why are governments that impose a price on carbon under fire? And why will carbon pricing be a hot issue in this year’s federal election? The many myths about carbon pricing may be one of the problems as shown in the following video.

According to the EcoFiscal Commission, “carbon pricing is a practical, meaningful and fair way to reduce the pollution that is destabilizing our climate and threatening our health.” But there are a lot of myths about carbon pricing. Here’s more on the top 3 myths.

Myth #1: Carbon pricing will cost Canadian families.

Fact: People pay attention to prices every day. Carbon pricing will make it more expensive to pollute. And if you pollute more, you’ll pay more. That’s fair. But it’s only half the story. Governments are using the revenues to make the transition to a cleaner economy affordable. For example, some governments are returning money directly to households.

Myth #2: Carbon pricing hurts jobs.

Fact: Carbon pricing changes what we buy, and this changes the kinds of jobs we need, not the number of jobs we have. Governments are helping with training programs for people to transition into this cleaner economy—like Alberta has done with coal communities.

Myth #3: Big polluters are getting a big break.

Fact: Like households, large emitters pay a carbon price on their emissions. This gives them a strong incentive to innovate and shrink their footprint. They also get support, which is designed to protect jobs and investment. Our economy will get cleaner, not smaller. And putting a price on carbon has many advantages. It should be a key part of Canada’s efforts to address climate change.