OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing just 12 per cent of Canadians believe businesses pay most of the cost of the industrial carbon tax. Meanwhile, 70 per cent said businesses would pass on some or most carbon tax costs to consumers.

“The poll shows most Canadians understand that a carbon tax on business is carbon tax on Canadians and that makes life more expensive,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “A carbon tax is a carbon tax is a carbon tax, and Canadians can’t afford to keep paying more to fuel up their cars, heat their homes or buy groceries.”

The federal government imposes an industrial carbon tax on oil and gas, steel and fertilizer businesses, among others. 

Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney promises to repeal the consumer carbon tax, but “improve and tighten” the industrial carbon tax. Carney also said that by “changing the carbon tax … We are making the large companies pay for everybody.”

The Leger poll asked Canadians who they think ultimately pays the industrial carbon tax. Results of the pollshow:

• 45 per cent say most of the cost is passed on to consumers
• 25 per cent say some of the cost is passed on to consumers
• 12 per cent say businesses pay most of the cost
• 19 per cent don’t know

“Carbon taxes on refineries make gas more expensive, carbon taxes on utilities make home heating more expensive and carbon taxes on fertilizer plants increase costs for farmers and that makes groceries more expensive,” Terrazzano said. “Only 12 per cent of people believe Carney that businesses will pay most of the cost of his industrial carbon tax.

“Canadians have a simple question for Carney: How much will your carbon tax cost?”