As Mark Zacharias of Clean Energy Canada put it in a recent op-ed, “Climate change is rapidly reshaping B.C.’s economy, a fact no party can ignore.”
Zacharias states that extreme weather led to a near complete failure of B.C.’s tree fruit crop this year and wiped out more than 95 per cent of the province’s wine grapes.
B.C.’s forest industry has declined by 30 per cent since 2000 at least in part due to drought, wildfires and pest damaged trees, all driven by climate change.
For several years, heat domes, wildfire and the associated smoke, drought and flooding have cost lives and disrupted communities. These disasters bear a heavy cost for individuals and our economy.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates that the summer of 2024 was the most destructive on record for insured losses due to extreme weather events. This should make fighting climate change a top election issue, yet it often pales in comparison to other concerns.
Politicians who don’t offer serious solutions to the climate issue are not considering the cost to society and the economy due to their inaction. The increasing costs of climate change have been thoroughly documented.
The Canadian Climate Institute’s report, Damage Control: Reducing the Costs of Climate Impacts in Canada, indicates that Canada could face annual losses to real GDP of $35 billion by 2030.
One election topic that remains highly controversial is the carbon tax, and much misinformation is currently being spread about this approach. Unfortunately, many B.C. residents are unaware of how the B.C. carbon tax works for individuals and families, and who benefits from the rebates. The Ecofiscal Commission of Canada recently concluded that federal carbon pricing would grow Canadian annual incomes on average by $3,300 in 2030 relative to an alternative policy approach. It is worth reading their open letter, signed by 334 academics and economists across Canada, which debunks the commonly quoted myths about the federal price on carbon.
In B.C., the amount you receive in rebates is based on your adjusted family net income. Most people receiving the Climate Action Tax Rebate may not know it is delivered directly to their bank accounts on the 5th day of July, October, January and April in combination with the federal GST/HST credit.
If you believe effective climate action is critical, then we urge you to do your homework to make an informed choice when voting. To assist you, the Shuswap Climate Action Society has posted a recording on our website of our all-candidates forum on climate change held on Thursday Oct. 3.
To reduce the worst impacts of climate change, your vote is critical.
From Julia Beatty and the board of directors of the Shuswap Climate Action Society.
