The NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 controversial carbon tax on home heating oil could be tackled before the legislative assembly meets on Feb. 6, according to the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 finance minister and deputy premier Caroline Wawzonek.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a regulatory change,SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek said on Jan. 13. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 one that can go directly to cabinet. Obviously, in a consensus government, we certainly want to engage with colleagues who are MLAs and not ministers, but we wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have to wait to initiate or finalize the changes necessarily until thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a formal legislative assembly.

SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to wait until February,SA国际影视传媒� she added. SA国际影视传媒淲e certainly donSA国际影视传媒檛 want there to be a benefit out there that weSA国际影视传媒檙e not maximizing for residents.SA国际影视传媒�

Under new federal legislation, residents of some provinces and territories are exempt from paying carbon tax on home heating oil. However, not all provinces and territories follow the federal system for carbon taxes. Some, like the NWT, choose to use an independent system. That means that the federal exemption does not automatically apply in the territory, and residents will continue to pay the tax until the territorial government changes its rules.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen the federal government recently made the changes to exempt home heating oil, that didnSA国际影视传媒檛 automatically apply because what theySA国际影视传媒檝e done is theySA国际影视传媒檝e changed the goal post on us,SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek said. SA国际影视传媒淲e now need to modify our regulations to apply that change.SA国际影视传媒�

The NWT carbon tax on home heating oil comes with a rebate, but residents donSA国际影视传媒檛 receive money back until well after they have paid their bills. For people living cheque-to-cheque, the current system can be difficult.

Wawzonek didnSA国际影视传媒檛 specify when the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 carbon tax on home heating oil will be brought to cabinet, but said that she has asked staff to SA国际影视传媒渂ring up some options,SA国际影视传媒� and that the issue is being approached with SA国际影视传媒渦rgencySA国际影视传媒� as frigid winter temperatures continue to grip the territory.

SA国际影视传媒淚 get that people are a bit frustrated and anxious,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think a lot of people have some frustration about the fact that we are recently, in the last few weeks here, into a very particularly cold season. People are using more heating fuel now.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he cost of heating fuel is itself volatile, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not something that I have any control over, itSA国际影视传媒檚 only the tax on top of that,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

The new federal exemption only applies to home heating oil, so people who heat their homes with propane, natural gas, or biofuels like wood, would have to continue paying carbon tax to heat their homes.

This creates an extra layer of complication when it comes to removing the carbon tax on home heating oil, according to Wawzonek.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome people are saying SA国际影视传媒榳hy canSA国际影视传媒檛 you just sign away the home heating fuel [carbon tax] and be done with it?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think there is something to consider about being equitable and being mindful of the cost to all of the Northwest Territories, all residents, all communities.SA国际影视传媒�

The GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 decision to use its own carbon tax system has meant that residents of the territory have continued to pay extra on their home heating bills, while people in regions that follow the federal system have been experiencing lower bills. Despite that, Wawzonek still supports the use of an independent carbon tax system for the NWT, as it gives the territorial government the ability to tailor its policy to the needs of residents.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want to continue to do what we said all along, which is to do the best we can with this federal tax [system],SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the Premier has spoken to this SA国际影视传媒� this is a tax that is putting the North in a position to pay for something that we are actually a very small contributor to, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, with one of the least opportunities to get ourselves off those GHG emissions,SA国际影视传媒� she added. SA国际影视传媒淭his is really why we wanted to hang onto control of it, because the federal government in this instance made a change that benefits people who use home heating fuel in their homes, but in other cases could just as easily make a political decision that would not benefit people.

SA国际影视传媒淲e would want to be insulated from being directly impacted from a political decision coming from Ottawa. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been holding on ourselves to having our own system in the North that was designed in the North, meant to apply in the North.SA国际影视传媒�