Several premiers are calling for more exemptions from the carbon tax, saying the decision by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to halt the tax on heating oil does not address affordability issues plaguing their provinces.
Mr. Trudeau’s move was criticized by several provinces. The premiers said by leaving out other heating options, such as natural gas, the change seems to favour households in Atlantic Canada, which primarily rely on heating oil to heat their homes.
‘An Admission’
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the policy change by the Trudeau government is “an admission” that the federal carbon tax is “making life a lot less affordable.” Mr. Moe added that the exemption on heating oil will not do much for his province.“The carbon tax is still being fully applied to natural gas and over 90% of Saskatchewan households are heated with natural gas,” he said on X on Oct. 26. “Just axe the tax on everyone and everything.”
According to data from Statistics Canada, oil made up only a small proportion of the “primary heating system and type of energy” in most provinces except those on the East Coast.
Data released by the federal agency last December indicated that in 2021, oil as the main heating fuel constituted 4 percent in Quebec, and 2 percent in Ontario. B.C.’s share was reported at 1 percent but the agency warned to “use [the data] with caution.” Figures for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba were deemed “too unreliable to be published.”
Meanwhile, the Atlantic provinces were the biggest users, with Prince Edward Island having 40 percent of its heating fuel coming from oil. Nova Scotia came second at 32 percent, while Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick trailed behind at 18 percent and 7 percent, respectively.
‘Eliminate the Tax’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed the sentiment of Ms. Smith and Mr. Moe. He said while it was a step “in the right direction” by the federal government, the vast majority of people in his province heat their homes and businesses with natural gas and would still have to pay the carbon tax.In a similar vein, he called on Mr. Trudeau to cancel the carbon tax program.
“The carbon tax is making life more expensive for everyone in every part of the country,” said Mr. Ford on X on Oct. 26. “I’m urging the prime minister to do what’s right and eliminate the tax altogether.”
Provinces that likely benefit more from the Liberals’ latest policy change expressed their views as well following the prime minister’s announcement.
“I appreciate this step and will continue to fight for the carbon tax to be removed entirely,” said Mr. Houston on X on Oct. 26.
The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador said he was pleased to see some changes to “help lighten the burden” in his province.
‘One More Time’
The Epoch Times reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office but did not hear back by publication time. Requests for comment from the premiers of B.C., Manitoba, Quebec, and P.E.I. were also unanswered by press time.The federal carbon tax, which applies to provinces and territories without their own carbon pricing systems, is currently priced at $65 per tonne of emissions and will increase by $15 every year until 2030. Households in the provinces receive carbon rebates to offset the costs they incur.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has long called for Ottawa to “axe the carbon tax,” said Mr. Trudeau’s move was a “scam designed to trick oil-heating households into voting for him one more time so he can hit them with his big tax hike.”
A recent Ipsos poll showed the Liberals trailing behind the Conservatives in popularity, with the Tories maintaining the support of 35 percent of Canadians, versus the Liberals’ 30 percent.
