By Canadian Press

Feds go around Manitoba government to get carbon tax funds to schools

Aug 7, 2019 | 10:41 AM

OTTAWA — The federal government is going around the Manitoba government in order to give carbon tax revenues to the province’s schools.

Ottawa set aside $60 million from this year’s carbon tax revenues to help schools make energy efficiency upgrades to reduce their own carbon footprint and carbon tax costs.

Three of the provinces affected by the federal carbon tax agreed to take their share and pass it on to school boards.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister refused, calling it a public relations exercise to promote the carbon tax, which he opposes.

Initially, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said money for Manitoba’s schools would go instead to other entities like municipal governments and hospitals.

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But the Manitoba School Boards Association stepped in to negotiate an agreement so provincial schools can share $5.4 million this year for upgrades like better windows, furnaces and programmable thermostats.

The Canadian Press