Manitoba Green Party platform includes guaranteed basic income, rising carbon tax

The Manitoba Green Party is calling for a rising carbon tax and free public transit in its platform for the Sept. 10 provincial election.

Party Leader James Beddome says if he were elected premier, he would institute a carbon tax of $50 per tonne starting next year and rising by $10 every year after.

Beddome is also promising a guaranteed basic income to fight poverty, free public transit and government help to restore inter-city bus service in rural and northern areas.

The platform contains few details and does not include any costs Beddome says those will come later.

Beddome is also not yet committing to a date to balance the budget, while the governing Tories and Opposition NDP have said they would do so by 2024.

The Greens have never won a seat in the Manitoba legislature, but came a close second in the Wolseley constituency in Winnipeg in the last election.

• Full coverage of the 2019 Manitoba election