The City of Winnipeg could look at reducing its carbon tax bill by retrofitting some publicly owned buildings.

A motion passed at the city’s water and waste committee on Monday calls on city staff to report on how much Winnipeg will pay in federal carbon tax over the next five years and provide a listing of up to 15 sites and/or $80 million in retrofit investments.

The carbon tax encourages retrofitting existing buildings to avoid increased tax payments arising out of the consumption of fossil fuels.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) who introduced the motion, says that if for example, the city would be spending $50 million in carbon taxes, it should work to make buildings more energy efficient.

“In this sense, the tax is well designed, it’s influencing our behaviour,” Mayes said Monday, adding that there are also moral and environmental reasons to retrofit buildings.

Mayes, who chairs the water and waste committee, said that there never has been a briefing at city hall on how much the carbon tax would cost Winnipeg’s coffers.

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