Federal environment minister visits London hoping to reverse messaging on carbon tax

Minster of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault and London West Liberal MP Arielle Kayabaga speak with George Paez, the owner of Pizza Quest on Base Line Road East in London on July 15, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

Canada’s minister of Environment and Climate Change visited London Monday, doing his best to reverse the mostly negative messaging around the Liberal government’s controversial carbon program.

Steven Guilbeault was joined by London West MP Arielle Kayabaga as the Liberal pair stopped into Pizza Quest, a small business at Base Line and Wharncliffe roads.

They enjoyed a slice of pizza for breakfast, but what Guilbeault really wants is for Canadians to chew the fat on Canada’s carbon rebate program.

“We can bury our head in the sand like Pierre Poilievre and not do anything about it and pretend that climate change isn’t there, or you can take action,” he said to the assembled media.

Monday marks the last day small and medium sized businesses can file tax returns to qualify for the carbon rebate. It’s also the day Ontarians can get their piece of the carbon pie.

“About 600,000 SMBs across the country will receive $2.5 billion in share, $2.5 billion in return revenues from some carbon pricing,” explained Guilbeault. “And today, the 15th, is also the moment that people in Ontario will receive their quarterly payment to individuals and small businesses.”

“Talk about a carbon rebate that's going back into eight out of 10 families across Canada, that’s the work that we’re focused on doing,” added Kayabaga.

But that work has been an uphill battle when it comes to the messaging around the carbon program, with the federal Conservatives winning in painting a negative picture of the program.

The challenge for the Liberals is to reverse that message before the next election.

“We're doing this because we're seeing everywhere between forest fires, floodings, heat waves, more and more the impacts of climate change,” said Guilbeault.

“Carbon pricing is a fairly simple mechanism. You put a price on pollution. People will be more careful with the amount of pollution they put out there,” he explained.

Guilbeault said carbon pricing will be responsible for 40 per cent of pollution reduction by 2030.

As for Pizza Quest owner George Paez, he said he likes the rebate, but he’s on the fence about the carbon program overall.

“It needs to be done because people, when it hits their pocket they might be more strict of doing things. But again, I would say 50-50 on that because I’m not a politician,” said Paez.