Lethbridge College conducts study showing most Albertans against idea of carbon tax

It’s the second major study of its kind in less than a month and again, the message is the same, most Albertans are opposed to the idea of the carbon tax.

Lethbridge College has conducted a survey that found a clear majority of Albertan residents, two thirds, are opposed to the provincial government’s plans to introduce a carbon tax in 2017.

Most of those are vehemently opposed while only 14 per cent are only somewhat opposed.

It was also broken down into several demographic patterns that show a partisan line of thinking behind support and opposition levels.

According to the numbers, 78 per cent of NDP supporters agree with the government’s carbon tax plans as do a number of Liberal voters (55 per cent), while an overwhelming majority of Wildrose (88 per cent) and Progressive Conservative voters (81.5 per cent) don’t like the idea.

There was also 65 per cent of undecided voters who opposed the move.

The study’s author also determined majorities in all regions of the province are opposed, the highest percentage of opposed were Southern Albertans at 73.8 per cent while Calgarians came in at 66.5 per cent.

It was conducted by Dr. Faron Ellis, a Lethbridge College professor who ran for the Wildrose in a previous provincial election.

Minister of Environment Shannon Phillips, who was in town for another environmental announcement, at first appeared to dismiss the results to Calgary media and insinuated there may be bias involved.

“Who put out the survey? Oh Faron Ellis, yes I know Faron. He was a Wildrose candidate in 2015 and he of course publishes polls in Lethbridge West, I think in 2012 he had me at 18 per cent and I got 30 and then in 2015 he had me at 18 per cent and I got 60, so that’s what I think about that poll.”

“There’s going to be a variety of polls,” she said. “It’s fair that Albertans have questions about pricing carbon because it is new in Alberta. We have an example in B.C. where you’ve seen a reduction in their greenhouse gas emissions because they have been pricing carbon since 2008. Of course we haven’t come forward with a lot of our new investments yet because we’re not pricing carbon until 2017. This is part of Alberta’s ongoing existing carbon tax that we’ve had for some years, since 2008.”

Phillips says in the future they plan on funding energy efficiency, investments in renewables, investments in clean technology with stakeholders to reduce emissions.

“On balance, you’re going to see a lot of value coming from it because we’re keeping all of those Albertans in the province and making sure our economy is worth carbon pricing that’s taking place across the world.”

Despite concerns of an added tax and that Albertans will be having to pay more, Phillips says two-thirds of Albertans will be getting the rebate.

She believes most might not even notice the impact.

“Alberta will have a number of different ways in which we are making sure all of those funds are re-invested here not the least of which is cutting small business taxes as well,” she said.

Phillips couldn’t say whether or not she has statistics that prove Albertans want a carbon tax because she says most don’t even know what it is or are in the process of learning more about it.

The province’s new carbon tax takes effect next year.