Carbon Tax Exceeding Rebates for Most Canadians
Editorial: North Shuswap Kicker
In 2008, British Columbia’s carbon tax was introduced at a rate of $10 per tonne (t) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions and this rate rose to $30/t by 2018. Originally introduced as a revenue neutral tax offsetting personal income tax, the BC carbon tax became a revenue generator for government under the NDP.
The Trudeau government’s national minimum price on carbon introduced in 2019 has incrementally increased BC’s carbon tax to $65/t, and on April 1, the rate increases again by 23% to $80/t. Trudeau’s hikes are controlling the BC carbon tax rate and the 800% increase between BC’s initial rate and the 2024 benchmark is just the beginning as he is determined to quadruple it with his carbon tax escalator forcing annual increases towards $170/t by 2030.
A few weeks ago, Conservatives introduced multiple motions in the House of Commons to spike Trudeau’s April 1 carbon tax hike and on March 21st, the federal NDP and Bloc Quebecois voted to save Justin Trudeau from a carbon tax election and force his latest tax hike on Canadians.
This tax hike is coming at the worst possible time. After eight years of Trudeau’s inflationary spending and taxes, Canadians are struggling. The NDP and the Bloc could have voted for the common sense Conservative motion to spike the 23% hike on gas, heat, and groceries, but they didn’t.
Trudeau’s inflationary carbon tax means a family of four will have to pay $700 more in groceries in 2024. A Canadian food charity recently reported that this year they expect a million additional visits to food banks in 2024, after record-breaking visits in 2023. In 2023, 36% of charities had to turn people away because of depleted resources. Canadians are being forced to choose between filling up their car, heating their home, and feeding their family.
Trudeau also imposed another tax hike on April 1st – a 2% tax hike on beer, wine, and spirits.
Trudeau is determined to keep squeezing more taxes out of Canadians by increasing carbon taxes and taxing the tax. The Parliamentary Budget Officer recently reported that the GST on carbon tax will cost taxpayers $486 million this year and $6 billion over the next eight years.
70% of Canadians opposed Trudeau’s April 1st tax hike and 70% of provincial premiers (not Eby) pressed Trudeau to stop this painful tax increase. Clearly, the costly Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition is not listening to Canadians.
I thank the many residents who contacted me after one of my previous editorials mentioned carbon tax on home heating bills exceeding actual fuel costs. Hearing the first-hand impacts that the carbon tax hikes are having on constituents helps inform my advocacy on your behalf to restore affordability of life.
My Conservative colleagues and I will continue to fight for carbon tax exemptions for farmers and home heating and oppose additional hikes. Despite Liberal, NDP, and Bloc plans to increase the carbon tax on Canadians, Conservatives will continue to work hard to Axe the Tax.