Pacific Carbon Trust moving to Ministry of Environment a positive step

Media Statement: Pacific Carbon Trust and Carbon Neutral Capital Program

Dr. Andrew Weaver, MLA Oak Bay-Gordon Head

As a part of the BC Government’s Core Review, Minister Bill Bennett made two key announcements today regarding the Pacific Carbon Trust and the Carbon Neutral Capital Program:

1. The Pacific Carbon Trust—previously an independent organization—will be transitioned into the Ministry of Environment (MOE) by 2015/2016 at a cost savings of $5.6 million annually.
2. The Carbon Neutral Capital Program—a program that supports school districts to fund energy-efficiency projects—will be considered for expansion to include hospitals and post-secondary institutions.

As a former member of Premier Gordon Campbell’s Climate Action Team and current Green Party MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Dr. Andrew Weaver applauds the government for trying to find cost-effective ways of administering and expanding effective climate action programs.

Pacific Carbon Trust:

“What’s critical about this announcement is that it leaves in place the Carbon Neutral Government legislation which forces the public sector to show leadership in emissions reduction. The Pacific Carbon Trust has been an important tool in British Columbia’s shift to a clean energy future. It is important to find cost-effective ways of administering the offset program and ensuring greater government oversight and accountability of the type of offsets purchased.”

Carbon Neutral Capital Program:

“I support the government’s move to consider expanding the Carbon Neutral Capital Program to include hospitals and post-secondary institutions. In fact, I would go even further and suggest that a process be developed to promote offsets within the public sector such as the conversion of school bus fleets and BC Ferries to run on compressed or liquefied natural gas, respectively”.

While Dr. Weaver is supportive of the government’s announcement today, he remains deeply concerned that BC’s legislated greenhouse gas reduction targets are in jeopardy due to the proposed expansion of fracking in northeastern BC.

Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
1 250 216 3382