In September, at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) 2009 Convention, Carole James called on the provincial government to cancel two years of corporate tax cut rebates related to the carbon tax, and instead put the money into a Provincial Green Fund for transit improvements and climate change solutions in communities across the province.

By 2012 that would mean $150 million in annual contributions to the Green Fund. That would go a long way toward hitting the emissions reduction targets as set out in law by the government. It won't solve the problem, but it will be a good start.

The Green Fund would support transit and other initiatives that actually contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the Fund could fill major operational funding gaps for TransLink to operate new buses, expedite the Evergreen Line's construction and operation and support smaller municipalities across B.C. to retrofit public buildings and green their community infrastrucuture.

The Green Fund begins to move away from  revenue neutrality for the Carbon Tax in order to fund green transportation alternatives that reduce carbon and other GHG emissions as well as other large emitting sectors (like residential, commercial and institutional building stock).  Ms. James's speech to the Mayors and Councillors in BC put forward the idea to make the carbon tax work better by investing revenue from it into activities that reduce emissions, as a first step to make the tax more effective in addressing climate changeand assist us in meeting our emission reduction targets.