The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is demanding Premier Wab Kinew stop his tax hike and bring back the fuel tax cut after he announced he will be hiking the fuel tax to 12.5 cents per litre on Jan. 1, 2025.

“Kinew is giving Manitobans higher taxes for Christmas,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “This hike will cost Manitoba families hundreds of dollars more in taxes next year,”

The Manitoba government cut its 14 cent per litre gas tax in January 2024. The government announced it will hike the tax back up to 12.5 cents per litre on New Year’s Day.

A Manitoba family filling up a minivan and a pick-up truck once every two weeks will pay $526 more in taxes next year because of the hike.

That family will only pay $61 less per year at the new rate compared to the old one.

A Manitoba family making $75,000 per year pays more in provincial taxes than a similar family in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Ontario. That includes the savings from the full 14 cents per litre gas tax cut.

Before the tax hike was announced, polling showed that 73 per cent of Manitobans wanted the government to extend the gas tax cut again and 70 per cent wanted the government to axe the gas tax permanently.

“Kinew is disrespecting the voice of a clear majority of Manitobans by hiking the gas tax back up,” Haubrich said. “Raising taxes is not how you make life more affordable. Kinew needs to keep the gas tax scrapped and keep providing relief to cash-strapped taxpayers.”