Earth Equity News

British Columbia Premier Offers Cities, Schools Carbon-Tax Rebate. By Justine Hunter, TorontoG&M, September 25, 2008. "In his first major reversal on the B.C. carbon tax, Premier Gordon Campbell offered municipalities and school boards a rebate on the tax yesterday, just hours after a gathering of 1,100 municipal leaders aligned against his government's climate-action scheme. But the new grant comes with strings attached: The rebate will only go to local authorities that sign on to the province's Climate Action Charter, which requires them to commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2012. 'This was never about double-taxing property taxpayers,' Mr. Campbell later told reporters. 'This is about providing incentives for people to act to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.' To date, 133 local governments have signed the charter, but 55 others have held out. 'As long as you are working in partnership with us to reduce your emissions, you're going to get that new revenue stream to cover your costs.' Mr. Campbell told delegates."