Federal Environment Minister Jon Wilkinson met with provincial Environment Minister Dustin Duncan Thursday to discuss several environment topics within the province.
This comes after news earlier this week that the carbon tax rebate was going down nearly $100 for families in Saskatchewan, while the federal government will charge $30 per tonne on carbon emissions.
Duncan said while the carbon tax still remains on the table, meaningful conversation was had. “I think we both acknowledged that we have a difference of opinion and the fact that we are in court at the moment didn’t preclude us from having I think a very fruitful conversation on areas I think we do agree on and areas I think we want to work together on.”
Duncan said Minister Wilkinson gave the indication he would reconsider some previously made decisions on climate funding. “We are a part of Canada and we should be apart of the low carbon economy fund. It had been decided by the former minister that Saskatchewan wouldn’t be eligible for the $62-64-million that Saskatchewan was earmarked to receive. Minister Wilkinson was very open to, a point in the future, revisiting that decision.”
Wilkinson worked under the federal ministry of environment while Premier Scott Moe served as provincial environment minister, and the two reportedly had a strong working relationship in their previous roles.