Moe says Sask. won’t collect carbon tax on electric heat if feds don’t budge

The Saskatchewan government is expanding its moves on the carbon tax.

Premier Scott Moe already announced the government has directed SaskEnergy to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas bills on Jan. 1 unless the federal government extends a carbon tax exemption to all sources of home heating.

The provincial government also has introduced legislation to that end.

Now, in a video posted to social media Thursday, Moe is announcing his government also is going to be removing the carbon tax on electric home heating in the new year if the feds don’t extend the exemption.

“Our government was able to make the decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas because you, the Saskatchewan people, own the natural gas utility, SaskEnergy,” Moe said in the video. “Well, we also own the electrical utility, and that’s why our government has decided that SaskPower will also stop collecting the carbon tax on electric heat effective Jan. 1.”

According to Moe, around 15 per cent of homes in Saskatchewan use other heat sources, with many of those using electric heat.

Jim Lemaigre, the Saskatchewan Party MLA for the northern riding of Athabasca, appeared in the video with Moe.

“Unfortunately, (in) northern Saskatchewan in communities like La Loche, Black Lake and Stony Rapids, people don’t use natural gas to heat their homes,” Lemaigre said. “Many still use electric heat and I’ve been talking to Premier Moe about how we can help those families as well.”

Moe said the government will have to determine who uses electric heat and will have to estimate what percentage of their power bill is used for heating purposes.

“Your government has listened to Jim, who has listened to the people that he represents across this province,” Moe said, “and we will now be extending the provincial carbon tax exemption to everyone in Saskatchewan who uses electric heat.”

On January 1, we’re taking the Trudeau-NDP carbon tax off natural gas for home heating to match the federal exemption for heating oil.

About 30,000 Saskatchewan households, many in northern and First Nations communities, use electricity to heat their homes. 

Here’s what we’re… pic.twitter.com/TJ3ylVuzjm

— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) November 30, 2023