By Canadian Taxpayers Federation -- Jasmine Pickel, Interim CTF Ontario Director ——Bio and Archives--October 24, 2019
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TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation applauds the Ontario government’s decision to continue fighting the carbon tax at the Supreme Court of Canada.
“Premier Doug Ford is right to continue fighting against the carbon tax which is costly for taxpayers and ineffective for the environment” said Jasmine Pickel, the CTF’s Interim Ontario Director. “At a time when the prime minister is doubling down on failed policy, Ontarians want real solutions that won’t hurt taxpayers.”
Despite recent uncertainty about the government’s next steps after the federal election, Ontario government officials have now confirmed that the government will stand by its original election promise to fight the carbon tax. Attorney General Doug Downey confirmed that the government has now filed its written submissions to the supreme court.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation participated as an official intervenor in the Ontario and Saskatchewan carbon tax challenges and is applying to intervene at the Supreme Court.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, current carbon pricing will not meet the Paris Agreement target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels. Secret government documents revealed that carbon would need to be priced at $100 per tonne in 2020, and $300 per tonne by 2050, to meet targets.
Currently, provinces where the federal carbon tax has been imposed are paying $20 per tonne, which adds about 4.65 cents to each litre of gasoline. At $100 per tonne, the carbon tax would add 22 cents to the cost for each litre of gasoline, and at $300 per tonne, gas would cost an extra 66 cents per litre.
“Under the Liberal plan, the cost of everything is going up – from groceries which are transported on our highways to public transit. That’s poor public policy considering Ontario was already on track to meet Paris Agreement targets before this punitive tax was imposed,” said Pickel.
Currently, Ontarians pay five different taxes at the pump. Given that two of those taxes are federal and provincial sales taxes, that means that Ontarians are paying tax on the carbon tax as well as the federal and provincial excise taxes being charged at the pumps. In other words, 35 per cent of the cost of gas is tax.
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