Is Quebec serious about climate change? New government bill raises questions
CBC
A new Quebec government bill aimed at reducing bureaucracy and increasing state efficiency is raising concerns about the province's commitment to fighting climate change.
Under Bill 7, the proposed legislation introduced last week by Quebec's new treasury board president, surpluses from the province's Green Fund will be allowed to be diverted to other unrelated government programs.
Created almost 20 years ago, the Green Fund, renamed the Fonds d’électrification et de changements climatiques (FECC) in 2020, is described on the government's website as being "entirely dedicated to the fight against climate change" and currently has a surplus of $1.8 billion.
However, France-Élaine Duranceau's omnibus bill would, among other things, give the finance minister the right to use the fund's surplus to pay off Quebec's sizeable debt, finance investments in the road network or even reduce the tax on gasoline.
The move has stoked fears the Coalition Avenir Québec government is moving away from its climate goals.
Reacting to the bill, Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal said diverting money away from the Green Fund amid a climate crisis was "totally irresponsible," and that the money is needed for Quebec's green transition.
Meanwhile, Quebec Environment Minister Bernard Drainville did nothing to allay those fears.
"What we are currently considering is using a portion of the revenues related to the carbon tax, therefore to the carbon market, for measures to help citizens," he told reporters.
That's something the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, a non-profit group advocating for the interests of small and medium-sized businesses, would welcome.
As it stands, the province's Green Fund is mainly financed through the carbon market — a cap-and-trade system that places a price on greenhouse gas emissions.
The system leads to higher gas prices because fuel distributors must purchase emissions allowances to cover the carbon pollution from the fuels they sell, and this cost is then passed on to consumers at the pump.
The CFIB says in 2025, the tax has added between seven to 25 cents per litre at the gas pump, and by 2030, it could climb as high as 35 cents.
That makes it difficult for small Quebec businesses that rely on fuel daily to remain profitable, the CFIB says — especially since Ottawa axed the federal consumer carbon tax in March, leaving Quebec as the sole province in the country that still has a price on carbon.
"We’re asking them to either get rid of the carbon exchange entirely or make sure the money is returned to Quebecers and small businesses through direct, transparent rebates," the CFIB said in a news release.
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