Carbon Tax goes up April 1st – get ready to pay even more for everything

By Dan McTeague

Get ready to pay more for … well, just about everything.

In just a few days from now, on April 1st, Trudeau’s Federal Carbon Tax is set to increase – again – from $50 a ton to $65 a ton. This federal Carbon Tax increase will apply in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. This increase will also later affect Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland that have their own provincial Carbon Taxes, but that will need to at least meet or exceed the federal requirements.  

Keep in mind that this Carbon Tax, as well as Net Zero legislation, and Just Transition plans, and mandating electric vehicles and on and on, are all in place to advance a singular goal: to stop climate change. 

The Green leftists that are pushing this agenda think that these costly measures will limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius thus avoiding “catastrophe.”  They believe that if we reduce our carbon emissions, we will limit global temperature rise and stave off disaster. 

Canada contributes 1.5 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Yes, you read that correctly. 1.5 percent. Even if we halted all use of fossil fuels in our country it would have no global effect on emissions.

So why do we have a punitive Carbon Tax? The government has never told us what exactly carbon taxes are supposed to achieve. Imagine we can reduce our 1.5 percent to 0.5 percent. How is that going to affect the climate? Incredible as it may seem, there are no numbers. There’s no evidence for the theory that Canadian carbon taxes will affect the climate.  No one even knows how to calculate it.

What we do know is that it is hurting Canadians, driving up inflation, and making life unaffordable. And that Trudeau is increasing it – again— by 25% on April 1st. 

The most obvious increase will be felt at the gasoline pumps. In provinces where the federal Carbon Tax applies, with the increase on April 1st the Carbon Tax will add an additional $0.15/per litre of gasoline in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and $0.16 in Ontario and the Maritime provinces. 

To date, carbon taxes imposed by Trudeau account for $0.16/per litre on average for gasoline and $0.20/per litre for diesel. Together they now make up roughly 11 to 13 percent of the total cost of fuel. That’s five times the rate of inflation. 

You’ll also see this Carbon Tax increase added to your next home heating bill. 

These are only two of the immediate increases that you’ll feel, but it doesn’t stop there.  

Trudeau’s Carbon Tax will be felt across the board with just about every good and service. 

One need only look at how the supply chain works to see how this plays out. 

Consider the cost of food prices, which have already been rising at an alarming pace. If you are paying the Carbon Tax, so are the farmers who are growing produce, drying grain, shipping product, heating barns – it goes on.  

In fact, grain farmers are paying so much in Carbon Taxes, they have been lobbying since 2019 for an exemption for drying grain and heating their barns and shops.  A bill is before the House of Commons but until it is passed – if it passes – they are still on the hook for enormous sums every month. 

If a farmer is paying $5,000 a month in Carbon Tax, they will have to pass that increase on to consumers. A farmer has to deliver his goods to a transport company, which now has to add to its diesel costs a Carbon Tax. 

If the food is being processed, that will rely on natural gas or propane or some other fuel which likely has a new cost in terms of the Carbon Tax. Then it’s transported to the grocery stores. More Carbon Taxes. This is an especially big problem in a country like ours, where there’s so much demand for food that has to be shipped across great distances. 

The Carbon Tax is added at every step of the supply chain until it reaches consumer at the store. 

And consider services. When a plumber or electrician comes to your house, who is covering the extra cost of filling up his vehicle? Or his materials? You, the customer. 

And when you go to a restaurant, who is paying for the increased overhead to heat the restaurant or use the gas stoves? You guessed it, the consumer. 

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault continues to insist that Canadians will get more money back on the Carbon Tax in the form of a “refund” than they pay. That just doesn’t match up with reality.

And the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer agrees. According to the PBO, 60% of households are paying more in Carbon Taxes than they get back.  And this is going to get worse, of course, as the Carbon Tax keeps increasing every year.

This economic reality is so obvious to average Canadians, those who run small businesses and manage home finances that someone must pay. Why don’t the Liberals see this? Willful ignorance perhaps? Or something worse? 

Whatever the reason, it is a grievous dereliction of duty. Their policies have real, devastating impacts on Canadians who are already struggling to make ends meet.  The Carbon Tax is a scam. There is no environmental benefit. The only outcome will be to fill the government coffers, restrict the ability of Canadians to maintain their livelihood, and make life unaffordable for Canadians.  For all the Green Left’s talk about sustainability, average Canadians agree that there is nothing sustainable about these relentless increases. And on April 1st, it is only going to get worse.

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Dan McTeague, President of Canadians for Affordable Energy

An 18 year veteran of the House of Commons, Dan is widely known in both official languages for his tireless work on energy pricing and saving Canadians money through accurate price forecasts. His Parliamentary initiatives, aimed at helping Canadians cope with affordable energy costs, led to providing Canadians heating fuel rebates on at least two occasions.

Widely sought for his extensive work and knowledge in energy pricing, Dan continues to provide valuable insights to North American media and policy makers. He brings three decades of experience and proven efforts on behalf of consumers in both the private and public spheres. Dan is committed to improving energy affordability for Canadians and promoting the benefits we all share in having a strong and robust energy sector.