OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is correcting the record as the federal government sends out carbon tax rebates on Jan. 15.

“The Parliamentary Budget Officer shows politicians are using magic math to sell their carbon tax,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “The PBO is clear: the carbon tax costs families hundreds of dollars more than the rebates they get back.”

The Trudeau government claims “families are going to be better off” with its carbon tax and rebates. However, a PBO report shows this is incorrect. 

The carbon tax will cost the average household between $402 and $847 in 2023, even after the rebates, according to the PBO. The cost depends on the province.   

The carbon tax will increase to 14 cents per litre of gas and 12 cents per cubic metre of natural gas on April 1. 

The federal government spent $116 million to administer the carbon tax since 2019. A total of 330 bureaucrats have been tasked with administering the carbon tax and rebates. 

“If you’re willing to believe the feds will raise taxes, skim some off the top and somehow make families better off, then we have ocean-side property in Regina to sell you,” said Terrazzano. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should scrap the carbon tax to save families hundreds of dollars every year.”

You can find the annual and cumulative costs of the carbon tax and rebates for each provincial taxpayer here.