N.S. says its alternative to Ottawa's climate plan is better than a carbon tax

Nova Scotia's premier has responded to a challenge from the prime minister to submit an alternative to the federal carbon pricing program.

Tim Houston's «Still Better Than a Carbon Tax Plan» summarizes the steps his government has taken to battle climate change.

The document includes his government's previously released plans for coastal protection, climate change, clean electricity and green hydrogen.

He submitted the plan to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a letter dated March 28. In it, Houston says the province disagrees that a carbon tax is the best mechanism to address climate change in Nova Scotia.

The prime minister told reporters Tuesday in the Halifax area that he hasn't seen the details of Houston's plan.

Trudeau said he is open to talking with Houston but added that Nova Scotia's earlier climate change plans haven't met federal requirements, which include a price on carbon.

«Other provinces can design a price on pollution that meets that federal level,» Trudeau said. «We're always there to work with them.

»I have worked with Premier Houston in the past on … various attempts that he made to make that level, but there needs to be fairness across the country."

Carbon-tax hike

Ottawa's increase of $15 per tonne of carbon went into effect Monday, but Trudeau said that increase will also mean larger quarterly rebate cheques, which families are next set to receive on April 15 to help offset the higher cost of fuel.

The quarterly rebates in Nova Scotia had been $103 for a single person and $206 for a family of four.

Monday's increase pushed up the cost of gas by 3.3 cents a litre. The tax has added 17.6 cents a litre to the price of gasoline since it was introduced in 2019.

In his letter to Trudeau, Houston said the province