The City of Burnaby could soon get reimbursed for the carbon tax under a plan announced by Premier Gordon Campbell this week. Campbell made the announcement at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Penticton. The plan requires cities to commit to being carbon-neutral by 2012. Coun. Dan Johnston, chair of Burnaby's finance committee, said he was pleased with the news, although Burnaby has not yet signed on to the incentive program. "We're going to consider it," Johnston said, on the phone from Penticton.

Under the program, local governments will be required to report annually onsteps they are taking to become carbon-neutral by 2012. A similar program will be developed with boards of education in the province. In July, the provincial government started taxing carbon-based fuels - gasoline, diesel, coal, natural gas, propane and home heating fuel - at$10 per tonne of carbon emissions produced. The tax will increase to $30, per tonne of carbon produced, by 2012.

In April, the Burnaby NOW reported that the carbon tax will cost the City of Burnaby $830,000 over the next five years. City finance director Rick Earle said the tax will cost Burnaby about $50,000 in 2008. Burnaby heats numerous recreation and community centres and libraries and fuels 450 vehicles. The government has issued $100 cheques to each B.C. resident to offset the carbon tax this year, but previously there was no way for cities to recover losses under the plan.