WHITEHORSE – “No Yukon government can impose a carbon tax,” said Liberal Leader Sandy Silver today. “The Taxpayers Protection Act requires any new tax to be agreed to by Yukoners in a referendum.”

The current premier adopted the Vancouver Declaration committing Yukon to “adopting a broad range of domestic measures, including carbon pricing;” carbon pricing in Yukon will be introduced by the federal government in keeping with their commitment to a national carbon pricing strategy.

The current premier also helped the working group advising Ottawa on how to implement the same carbon pricing the Yukon Party now publicly opposes.

“The federal government continues to be clear that carbon pricing is coming to every region of Canada as soon as this winter,” said Silver. “The only room left for discussion is how it will work. Pretending otherwise is failing to stand up for Yukoners.”

“The new Yukon Liberal government will hold honest, respectful discussions with the federal government to ensure 100% of carbon pricing revenues collected by national carbon pricing in the Yukon will be returned to the Yukon,” said Silver. “The Yukon Liberal government will then rebate those revenues directly to Yukoners so they are not burdened by carbon pricing.”

John Streicker, climate change researcher and Liberal candidate for Mt Lorne-Southern Lakes, made clear the Yukon Liberal government will be unwavering in its commitment to reducing carbon emissions through a five part strategy:

1. Implement measuring, monitoring and public reporting of Yukon-wide CO2;
2. Leverage federal grants to make it affordable for many Yukon homes and other buildings to be retrofitted so they require less energy to heat;
3. With federal funding and Yukon partnerships, support development of more small scale renewable energy sources;
4. Ensure renewable energy providers receive a reliable rate for their energy contribution to establish long term viability;
5. Launch pilot projects for energy storage to develop ability to hold energy available from the summer to the winter months when it is most needed.

“These initiatives will reduce Yukon CO2 emissions while creating jobs, reducing costs and offering new opportunities for private sector innovation,” said Streicker. “This is an example of how the Yukon Liberal government will ensure we take care of the economy and environment together—not choose one over the other.”