ETC
APRIL 4, 2024
POLITICS - 7
Carbon tax pumps up gas prices by 3 cents Niko De Ciantis Senior Reporter
Drivers are digging a bit deeper into their wallets this week after Monday’s increase to the federal carbon tax resulted in an increase in gas prices. “Adding an additional 3.72 cents a litre is something that many people have taken note of and a lot of people are understandably upset,” Dan McTeague said. The former Liberal MP and gas price expert warned that the increase is coming as Canada’s economy struggles. He said the increase in diesel prices would also prove costly for transport companies. “Diesel is needed for everything, truck transport, rail transport, aviation, and when you start messing around with that, you start raising the cost of pretty much everything,” McTeague said. However, some environmentalists say Canada will need to do more in the future. “A carbon tax helps marginally, but it’s not nearly enough to solve the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. But it’s a small step in the right direction,” Ole Hendrickson said.
SANTIAGO ARIAS OROZCO
Drivers will be paying more when filling up their tanks as gas prices are going up an additional 3.72 c/L.
Hendrickson is an ecologist and chair of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, a grassroots organization that engages people in protecting their environment and taking action to improve it. This week’s carbon tax increase will also hit home heating costs. Some Canadians living in remote
areas are asking for an exemption from paying the carbon tax on the propane that they use to heat their homes. “We don’t have access to natural gas in my area. How is it fair that I get taxed on propane when I have no control over what energy source is available in my area,” Caledon
resident Vincenza Tullio said. “If the government wants us to use clean energy, then they should make it accessible for everybody.” When the Trudeau government gave people with oil furnaces in the Maritimes an exemption from the carbon tax that raised questions. “The government made a mis-
take. The oil exemption just opens the door to more and more kinks against the carbon tax,” Hendrickson said. “People are going to have to make tough choices if we want a future on this planet.” Recently, the Ontario Government announced plans to extend a gas tax cut introduced in 2022 until the end of the year. “It’s sort of offsetting the three cents a litre increase which is very counterproductive. Either we work together or we die together,” Hendrickson said. Gas prices will increase again next year, with the next planned increase to the carbon tax. But McTeague predicts if potential clean fuel policies are implemented, they could cause prices to triple. He said that will “be a death wish for Trudeau and the Liberal Party.” He expects next year’s federal election to focus on affordability. “I lost my election after six terms back in 2011 because, just like the current government, we had a weak leader who just couldn’t connect with people and their needs,” McTeague said.
Ford rallies farmers against the carbon tax David Madureira Senior Reporter
Doug Ford is hoping Ontario’s farmers can help make the case to pause any further increases to the federal carbon tax. The day after a scheduled increase by 23 per cent, the Premier held a press conference in Holland Marsh alongside farmers and small business owners. “We’re all here today to make it clear we stand against the carbon tax because we know Ontario families deserve to keep more money, and their hard earned money, in their own pockets,” Ford said. Drew Spoelstra, the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said he is in favour of green initiatives but says farming requires the use of carbon. “We support a clean environment but farmers just don’t have any alternatives, we have to use energy to grow the food that we all eat three times a day,” he said. Spoelstra said that farmers are worried about the carbon tax increase when they are also facing other rising expenses. “When our costs go up on the farm and throughout the supply
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Canada’s carbon tax took effect on April 1 with farmers and agricultural businesses being greatly affected as their work inherently uses carbon.
chain it has a serious impact on everyone, we’re doing what we can on farms, but sometimes actions make it harder,” he said. This year’s carbon tax increase has been met by protests by farmers in places like Nova Scotia and Ottawa. Lisa Thompson, Ontario’s Agriculture Minister urged Trudeau to rethink any future increases to
the carbon tax. “Prime Minister Trudeau, for once and for all, listen to the people from the grassroots up when we say you need to hit the pause button on this carbon tax,” she said. Last week, Trudeau criticized many conservative premiers for being dishonest about the impact of the carbon tax increase.
The government maintains most Canadians will receive an increased rebate to offset the tax increase. Rural Canadians also qualify for additional rebates due to increased costs. Still, Thompson criticized Trudeau for suggesting his critics are liars. “I ask the Prime Minister to look my husband in the eye and
call him a liar when he presents our propane bill and it shows that 20.9 per cent of our last propane bill was carbon tax, I dare the Prime Minister of Canada to look the owner of a grain elevator and an exporter of soybeans around the world a liar,” she said. Ford urged people to continue pushing back against the tax and similar tax increases in the future.