The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is pleased that the Government of Canada has announced a rebate program that will direct $30 million of Federal Carbon Tax Revenues to Saskatchewan businesses for energy efficiency improvements through the new Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF).

Notwithstanding its members’ opposition to a carbon tax, the Chamber acknowledges that the tax is a reality and therefore all revenues must be directed back to business. The SCC, with advice from its Energy Efficiency Task Force and Environment Committee, had ongoing discussions with policymakers from the Federal Department of Environment and Climate Change, and successfully advocated that the most important step in reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) is energy conservation through reduced fuel use. The CAIF supports this perspective.

The Chamber will be working with its members and the broader business community in Saskatchewan to communicate the details of the CAIF and find opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to be eligible for:

• Refunds between 25% and 50% on the cost of new energy-saving equipment such as appliances, which could include fridges, dishwashers, heating and cooling equipment, anti-idling devices and high efficiency boilers;
• Funding of up to 25% of eligible costs for energy-efficient retrofits and other projects to improve energy efficiency, reduce their energy use and save money.

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve McLellan calls the Climate Action Incentive Fund a potential game changer. He believes that the combination of SME rebates and accelerated depreciation, coupled with other Federal and SaskPower grant programs have created promising opportunities for business. McLellan encourages businesses to take advantage of the program and stresses that, “it is Saskatchewan businesses that have contributed these monies so it’s time to put that cash back to work in Saskatchewan.”

In addition to the CAIF, Saskatchewan businesses will once again be able to source money from the federal $10 million Low Carbon Economy Fund Partnerships stream for investments that improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution. The Chamber believes that acting on climate change is good for business and is committed to helping its members access these funds, reduce waste and increase productivity.

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the officials at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada for incorporating the recommendations the SCC provided and for involvement in the discussions that resulted in the CAIF. The SCC will soon be communicating the full suite of energy efficiency opportunities to its members and the Saskatchewan Chamber Network. 
 
The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is a member-based organization that represents the views of over 10,000 individual businesses, industry associations, and local Chambers of Commerce across the province of Saskatchewan through its Chamber Network.