FREDERICTON, NB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the federal government to scrap the carbon tax as fuel prices rise for New Brunswickers.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released its 21^st annual Gas Tax Honesty Day report in Fredericton today.

Taxes now make up 36 per cent of the total pump price for New Brunswick drivers. That’s $30.00 in tax alone on the fill up of a 64 L Toyota Camry.

“Gas taxes in New Brunswick have become unaffordable and this year the carbon tax drove up the price at the pumps,” said CTF Atlantic Director Paige MacPherson. “Driving is a necessity of life in New Brunswick, yet the carbon tax will go up every year. It’s time to scrap the carbon tax.”

New Brunswick now has the third highest gas taxes of any province, up from 7^th highest last year and topping the Maritime provinces, due to the carbon tax and sales taxes on top of it.

The carbon tax will cost New Brunswick drivers 4.42 cents per litre this year, rising to over 11 cents per litre in 2022. A secret federal briefing document showed that to reach Canada’s emissions target, the carbon tax would have to reach 66.3 cents per litre by 2050. That would mean a carbon tax of over $42.00 per fill-up.

“New Brunswick drivers will be shocked to see that 36 per cent of what they pay at the pumps is actually taxes,” said MacPherson. “A significant portion of that is taxes on top of other taxes. When New Brunswick drivers fill up their tanks, the government is guzzling more and more money out of their wallets with no end in sight.”

Federal and provincial governments in Canada will collect $1.9 billion in sales taxes charged on top of per-litre taxes. In New Brunswick, 4.5 cents of every litre of gas goes to tax-on-tax. With rising carbon taxes, these costs will be driven higher every year.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s 21^st annual Gas Tax Honesty Day report can be viewed here: http://www.taxpayer.com/media/2019-GTHD-EN.pdf

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