This is a guest post by Josha MacNab from the Pembina Institute.
Premier Christy Clark has a message for British Columbians: “To grow and diversify our economy, we must have the courage to say yes.” Perhaps she should take her own advice.
We know that we need to say yes to an economy that will thrive in a low-carbon future and one that does not lock us into fossil-fuel infrastructure that will become obsolete. We need to say yes to investing in industries that will position B.C. to take advantage of growing demand for clean technology and services. We need to say yes to implementing solutions that ensure we have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.
Unfortunately, this week’s budget announcement wasn’t an example of that kind of “yes” thinking. Instead, it was just the latest in a string of missed opportunities for this government to demonstrate that it is making the connection between our economic prospects and addressing climate change.