Anthony Furey: 5 Percent Tax Hike on Alcohol on April 1 Is No Joke

The University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research has launched KnowAlcohol.ca, a tool and calculator designed to generate personalized estimates of the potential health risks related to an individual’s alcohol use.Motortion Films/Shutterstock

Commentary

It’s like an unwanted New Year’s resolution and an April Fool’s joke all wrapped into one. The federal Liberal government is set to automatically increase the alcohol tax by almost 5 percent on April 1. Just when Canadians thought they were getting a reprieve on crushing inflation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government sets us up for one more product increase.