Mayor Fraser Tolmie says if he has his way, the new Sask Power Station project will go ahead as planned in Moose Jaw. Although changes to Canadian federal carbon tax regulations were proposed after the federal government was made aware of the need for the project in 2017, Tolmie says he will fight to have the local project grandfathered in. 

"This project should be grandfathered because it was initiated and planned prior to the federal regulations," said Tolmie Friday.   

Tolmie explained that during initial planning, energy use for the new plant was calculated far below federal carbon tax regulations in place at the time. 

"The current federal laws were that plants producing 420 tons of CO2 per gigawatt-hour are exempt. The Moose Jaw plant is proposed to be 370 tons, so less than the 420." 

Tolmie stated that the project is essential to the economic and infrastructural efficiency of the Notorious City, citing the current need to move away from carbon-heavy coal and into cleaner natural gas sources.

The City of Moose Jaw announced the project last December. Initial planning had been underway as early as September of 2017. Under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, changes to Canadian federal carbon tax regulations were proposed in January 2018. Saskatchewan adopted its own carbon tax regulations in accordance with federal outlines January 2019.  

The new carbon tax regulations have received mixed reviews. Tolmie remains a diligent proponent of the project, stating that he will do whatever it takes to see the project through to completion. 

"We fought hard for this project and I will continue to fight to keep it. I'll knock on doors; if I've got to go to the province, to Ottawa, whatever it's going to take."