Over 160 schools in Saskatchewan are going to be getting some form of energy efficiency upgrade. The cost of the projects in total will equal 12 million dollars with the federal government saying that money is coming from the collection of the carbon tax in Saskatchewan.

The federal government says 90 percent of the money it gets from the carbon tax in Saskatchewan goes back to families through rebate cheques with the other 10 percent put into a fund for cities, schools, hospitals and universities. This translates in Saskatchewan to having 60 million in the so-called “MUSH” program. This is the first time any money from that program has come to the province.

The announcement from Ottawa comes just a couple of days after Premier Moe indicated to the Prime Minister in a letter that the carbon tax should not be charged here until the Supreme Court has ruled on a constitutional challenge on the matter that is to be heard later this month.

In a release, federal environment minister Jonathan Wilkinson says by investing the proceeds from carbon pollution pricing in Saskatchewan into schools, we are reducing emissions and creating a greener, more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren.”