VANCOUVER, B.C.: Premier David Eby must follow through on his election promise to scrap the B.C. carbon tax, following Liberal front-runners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland coming out against the carbon tax. 

“Liberal leaders and opposition Conservatives in Ottawa all oppose the carbon tax,” said Carson Binda, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Eby needs to get off the bench, scrap the carbon tax and save British Columbians money now.” 

During the provincial election campaign, Eby pledged to scrap the B.C. carbon tax as soon as he receives permission from the federal government. With Liberal front-runners and the Official Opposition opposed to the carbon tax, the CTF is calling on Eby to provide relief and scrap the carbon tax now.

Both Carney and Freeland are speaking out against the carbon tax.

Freeland “will not fight Canadians on a policy that they have been clear they do not support,” said Freeland’s campaign in a written statement.

“My government would immediately remove the consumer carbon tax,” Carney said. 

On April 1, the Eby government plans to raise the B.C. carbon tax to 21 cents per litre of gasoline, 25 cents per litre of diesel and 18 cents per cubic metre of natural gas. 

B.C.’s carbon tax has failed to reduce emissions as promised, according to the provincial government’s own data.

“Instead of making everything more expensive on April 1 by hiking the carbon tax, Eby should axe the tax on British Columbians now,” Binda said. “If he doesn’t move before the provincial budget on March 4, British Columbians could be stuck paying a zombie carbon tax long after it’s eliminated in the rest of Canada.”