Exemptions to the collection of the carbon tax in the North are not being contemplated, says a senior federal official.

Mark Johnson of Environment and Climate Change Canada says what is being discussed are concerns arising from how the carbon tax might have an additional impact on the North.

There could be extra costs associated with the delivery of food to remote communities when considering the additional tax on fuel, he explained in an interview.

Johnson said how to address those additional impacts are the types of considerations being discussed by the federal government and governments North of 60.

“There are discussions going on across all three territories on these kinds of issues,” he told the Star.

“We are definitely considering the very different circumstances of the North.”

Johnson said the expectation is to have the necessary federal carbon tax legislation before the House of Commons this fall.

The tax will come into effect in 2018, but exactly when remains unknown, he said.

Johnson and other federal officials were meeting in Whitehorse last week with representatives of the territorial, First Nation and municipal governments to discuss how to address the additional impacts the carbon tax will have on northern communities.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed to imposing a carbon tax beginning next year, with subsequent increases in the next four years to achieve a tax equivalent to $50 a tonne of greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal policy says all the money collected will be returned to the territory or province of origin.

Premier Sandy Silver has promised to return every penny to Yukoners.

The territorial government is currently conducting a survey asking how best to go about that.

The survey, for instance, asks whether low-income Yukoners should receive more of a rebate, or whether businesses located off the grid who rely on their own generation should receive more.

It asks if Yukoners living in remote communities should receive more of a rebate.

Yukoners have until Sept. 13 to fill out the survey available online.

Eric Clement of the Yukon’s Department of Finance said today it’s the government’s understanding that Ottawa will return the portion of carbon tax collected here with no strings attached.

It’s also the government’s understanding that if there is an impact on the cost of food in remote communities because of additional transportation costs, it would be up to the Yukon to address those impacts with the money it receives back from Ottawa, he said.

The federal carbon tax will apply to all fossil fuels, from gasoline, diesel and home heating fuel to propane and aviation fuel.

At some time in 2018 – year one of the five-year federal plan – an additional 2.33 cents per litre will be added to the price of gasoline, rising to an additional 11.63 cents per litre in 2022, or year five.

An additional 2.74 cents per litre will be added to the cost of home heating fuel next year, rising to 13.69 cents per litre in 2022.

The Yukon government is estimating Ottawa will collect $5 million in year one of the carbon tax, rising to $25 million in 2022.

The federal spokesman said it’s expected the carbon tax legislation will have built-in reviews for the years 2020 and 2022.