Saturday, September 13, 2008

Haldimand "Dion introduces Interest Free Green Mortgage Loans"

I thought this was interesting. Dion introduced a plan that would hopefully make all homes in Canada more energy efficient by 2030.

Would you go for this "tax free loan"?

I believe that this is part of the parcel in the "Green Shift Plan" (carbon tax) that Dion has promised Canadians. Now a question I have to Ontarians. Dalton McGuinty a few weeks ago announced that he now supports a "Carbon Tax" for Ontario. How will we weather in Ontario if the Liberals form our next government and hit us with the "Green Shift Plan", and along comes McGuinty with his "Carbon Tax Plan"?

I am not familiar with the workings of the "Carbon Tax" that was introduced in BC that started July 1, 2008, except for the fact that their gas prices increased 2.3 cents per litre!

I personally do not see this "Carbon Tax" "Green Shift Plan" having anything to do with "reducing" emissions or helping mother nature. These plans will only make those who pollute, charge the end user more for their emissions, and they can well afford it!

Dion give your head a shake!

Liberals promise homeowners $575M in incentives to 'green' homes
Last Updated: Friday, September 12, 2008
CBC News

With sun-soaked greenery as his backdrop, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion promised homeowners $575 million worth of incentives to make their dwellings more energy efficient if his party is elected in the Oct. 14 federal election.

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion announces that if elected, his party would expand federal subsidies for making homes more energy efficient during a campaign stop in Burnaby, B.C. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)"The average Canadian homeowner can reduce the amount of energy their home uses by 20 to 40 per cent," Dion said outside a housing co-operative in Burnaby, B.C., during a campaign visit Friday.

Under the four-year proposal, the Liberals would offer homeowners $10,000 in financial support for investing in energy-saving measures such as insulation, weatherproofing and more efficient heating systems.

Up to $10,000 would also be available to homeowners as an interest-free "green mortgage loan" to help with up-front costs and major retrofits.

A $140-million fund would be created to help upgrade low-income housing.

"We have a plan to help people to adapt, to help especially middle- and low-income Canadians," Dion said.

Aims to retrofit all homes by 2030

Dion warned that energy costs seem likely to remain high and Canada needs to think of long-term solutions.

"This is the world in which we are," he said. "It is why the countries that have decided to do a green shift in the '90s are more energy efficient and are resisting better to these kinds of difficulties."

With the investments, the Liberals hope to retrofit 50 per cent of all Canadian homes by 2020 and all homes by 2030.

Also, Dion vowed to beef up Canada's building code standards for energy efficiency and set tough new standards for home appliances.

The Liberals said the proposal would help Canadians combat rising energy bills and create jobs in a faltering economy.

Dion made his pitch in Burnaby, one of the areas in B.C. where Liberals hope to pilfer seats from the New Democrats. Liberals hold seven of the 36 seats in B.C.

The NDP has denounced the Liberal's Green Shift plan to tax carbon emissions while cutting income taxes.

Green Shift an 'unfair double hit' for B.C.?

Dion plan faces a tough sell to voters in B.C. who are already contending with a provincial carbon tax that kicked in on July 1 and added 2.3 cents to the price of a litre of gasoline.

At an overcrowded town hall meeting later Friday, the so-called Green Shift program took centre stage.

"Aren't we going to take an unfair double hit?" asked one concerned resident.

Dion responded that he would seek to find a solution, noting that he served as intergovernmental affairs minister for eight years and knows how to negotiate with provinces.

British Columbia is seen as one of the key battlegrounds for determining Liberal fortunes in the election.

The Liberals won nine of B.C.'s 36 seats in the 2006 election, but now hold seven of the ridings
David Emerson crossed the floor to join the Conservatives shortly after he was elected in the Vancouver Kingsway riding. He is not running in the 2008 race.

Blair Wilson was also elected as a Liberal but then quit to become an Independent last year and shortly before the election call, chose to sit as Canada's first federal Green MP.

The Conservatives hold 18 seats in B.C. and the NDP have 10.

With files from the Canadian Press
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/12/dion-retrofit-proposal.html

5 comments:

  1. At a time when commuters are being decimated by greed from the oil companies, talk of more taxes is obscene. The government is already making out like bandits on a litre of gas. That is why they won't do anything to bring the price of gasoline down.

    In Ontario in 2005 if you calculate a percentage breakdown of a litre of gas it is as follows:

    Gas Company 67% $0.60
    Federal Excise 11% $0.10
    Provincial Tax 16% $0.15
    GST 6% $0.05
    Total 100% $0.90

    http://www.petro-canada.ca/en/media/2128.aspx

    Apply that to what's happening today and it becomes obvious the government is doing very well.

    Gas Company $0.91
    Federal Excise Tax $0.15
    Provincial Tax $0.22
    GST $0.08
    Total $1.36

    Today the Federal Government is making $0.23 on each litre of gas compared to $0.15 in 2005 and the Province is making $0.22 on each litre of gas compared to $0.15 on each litre of gas.

    With every tank of gas of say 60 litres the Federal Government makes $4.80 more today than in 2005with their total take on a tank of gas being $13.80 and the Province makes $4.20 more today than in 2005on a tank of gas with their total take on a tank of gas being $13.20. That's a total of $27 on a tank of gas today going to the government.

    These governments have built in tax increases at the pump since their tax goes up with each increase of gasoline prices.

    For Dion to want to add more tax is obscene as I said earlier. He will destroy the economy of this country. His Green plan targets not only fuel for cars but also fuels for homes and those on fixed incomes such are retired people will be hurt by this punishing tax.

    What we need in this country related to gasoline is the following:

    Immediate Federal Legislation pegging the pump price across the country to the world barrel price. That would mean that instead of prices being $1.36 today it would be $1.01 since a barrel of oil at the close of day yesterday was $101. This would bring the price at the pump into line with the cost of oil.

    A ceiling on Federal and Provincial taxes with taxes being frozen when the Gas Company price reaches $0.75. In other words any price above that for the Gas Company the taxes would be fixed and not increase with the price.

    Immediate legislatation providing development funds for the development of vehicles that are based on renewable resources such as electricity, solar, hydrogen, etc.

    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like your idea on immediate Federal legislation and have the price of fuel relate to the price of a barrel of oil. How could legislation separate speculation (another culprit) from the cost of a barrel of oil. Speculators bring the costs of oil and refining up and down in a heartbeat, as we saw yesterday at the pumps. The cost of oil also is the base unit on all energy costs. We need to self conserve and produce more oil and coal here in Canada. This action would force the speculators to reduce their effect on cost and help us move toward a more reasonable price for a barrel of oil.

    Earp

    ReplyDelete
  3. You talk as if the price you pay at the pump is the only cost associated with the fuel.

    Do you also get sucked in by "don't pay for 90 days" sale pitches? Your going to pay the interest one way or another.

    Its about time we learn to live within our means.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks everyone for your comments.

    I will agree that we need to live within our means, but in saying that there are expenses that we all pay for that are necessary for the quailty of life regardless of how much we earn.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hеllo there, I do belіeve уour site might
    be having internet brοwser compatibilіty
    iѕsues. When I look at your site in Ѕafari, it looks fine
    hoωever, if openіng in IE, it has ѕome ovегlapping isѕuеs.
    I just wanted to provide you with a quick headѕ up!
    Besides thаt, wondeгful webѕite!


    Ϻy blοg - orgаnіc potting sοіl (http://pen.pigironchef.com/)

    ReplyDelete