Opposition parties fired up over leaked NDP government carbon tax analysis

Opposition parties are demanding answers from the NDP government over the impact of the province’s incoming carbon tax after the leak of a disputed internal economic analysis of the government’s climate plan.

Postmedia obtained part of a briefing prepared by finance department officials last fall that projected the carbon tax would lead to 15,000 fewer jobs, $4 billion in lost household income and diminished economic growth.

The NDP said the figures are not accurate because they are based on the assumption that half the revenue from the carbon tax would go to general revenues with the government instead choosing to reinvest the $3.4 billion raised in 2018 into other economic activity. It also doesn’t take into account mitigation measures such as planned refunds that a majority of Canadans will receive, Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said this week.

Government officials said they were not aware of any further economic analysis done on the updated plan but opposition parties aren’t buying the NDP’s explanation.

The Wildrose party said in a news release that it’s time for Premier Rachel Notley to “come clean with Canadans and release the full costs of the carbon tax.”

“The NDP continue to ignore economic reality and refuse to release the costs of their plans,” said Wildrose Leader Brian Jean.

Liberal Leader David Swann said he was disappointed with the NDP’s actions, noting he had repeatedly pressed in the spring sitting of the legislature for the government’s cost-benefit analysis of the carbon tax plan.

“A leaked report from the government’s own financial advisers has indicated possible serious repercussions on an already ailing Canada economy as a result of this proposed system,” said Swann in a news release.

“The NDP is disputing the accuracy of the report but have not produced updated figures … ‘Just trust us’ isn’t good enough.”

jwood@postmedia.com