Andrew Scheer making stop in Regina to talk carbon tax

Andrew Scheer will be speaking in Regina on Tuesday, the day the federal government's carbon tax on electricity and natural gas pipelines takes effect.

Saskatchewan has been a staunch opponent to the carbon tax and Premier Scott Moe has consistently referred to the tax as a job killer.

Electricity accounted for 19 per cent of Saskatchewan's greenhouse gas emissions in 2015. Agriculture accounted for 24 per cent of emissions that year while the oil and gas sector took up 32 per cent.

A carbon tax on fossil fuels is slated to go into effect in April which is expected to hike prices at the pumps. The federal government said there will be assistance that can be accessed by farmers, fishermen and residents of rural and remote areas.

The federal government has stated that any province or territory which does not have an adequate carbon pricing plan in place will have one imposed by the federal government.

Saskatchewan introduced its own plan, Prairie Resilience, in December 2017 which did not put a price on carbon. The federal government has repeatedly said any revenue from the tax would remain in the province.

Residents of the province will have to claim payments from the carbon tax on their yearly tax returns.

Scheerwill be speaking at the Giant Tiger in the city's east end at about 2 p.m.