National climate strategy to be painful and expensive, says Trevor McLeod

Canada took its first steps toward a national carbon pricing strategy Thursday, butone think-tank is warning Alberta's pain will be greatno matter what the final agreement is.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeausat downwithprovincial premiers in Vancouver today to hammer out aframework for clean growth and climate change, including an agreement in principle to a carbon-pricing mechanism.

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"I don't think there's a path that runs through this that doesn't really hit Alberta hard," said TrevorMcLeod, director of the Centre for Natural Resources Policy with the Canada West Foundation.

The federalgovernmenthas promisedto reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

"Our shiny new climate strategy, which was the toast of the town in Paris, is only talking about getting us back to 2013 levels not to 2005 levels, and not to 30 per cent below 2005 levels,"McLeodsaid in reference to Alberta's provincial commitment.

For its part, Alberta emits more greenhouse gases than any other province in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

In 2013, the province produced 267.2 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The next highest was Ontario with 170.8 megatonnes.

McLeod also called Canada's targets "really aggressive," saying the national goalof a 240-megatonne reduction is equivalent to allof the emissions produced by Ontario, Manitobaand Atlantic Canada combined.

"[There are] lots of different approaches as to how you might get there, but none without significant dollars spent and probably pain."