To counter negative publicity from the new carbon tax, the B.C. government launched a new LiveSmart B.C. website last week that explained how the tax would work, as well as other programs like the province’s energy plan, water plan, air action plan, transit plan, and energy efficient building strategy.
The site also provides the public with tips to save on taxes, save fuel, save energy, take advantage of government programs — a one stop shop for all of the province’s environmental plans.
“Climate change is real and it’s threatening our forests, our watersheds and our way of life,” said Environment Minister Barry Penner in announcing the site. “People need to better understand what’s happening to our climate and know what government incentives are available to them to help them do their part. British Columbians need to realize that the time to act is now and that doing nothing is just not an option.”
The new carbon tax, which went into effect July 1, will add roughly 2.4 cents to the price of a litre of gasoline, increasing each year through 2012. The tax is meant to be a disincentive for driving, but will be matched by tax breaks in other areas to make it revenue-neutral for the provincial government.
The province’s end goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 33 per cent by 2020. The items in the B.C. Climate Action Plan, which includes the carbon tax, achieves almost three quarters of that reduction.
The new website is www.livesmartbc.ca.
