• UCP promises to lower provincial income tax by creating a new tax bracket
• UCP promises to extend provincial fuel tax suspension until Dec. 31, 2023

LETHBRIDGE, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is applauding the promises from the United Conservative Party to lower Alberta’s provincial income tax and to further suspend the provincial fuel tax.

“These promises would save Alberta taxpayers hundreds of dollars per year and that’s the right thing to do to help families struggling to afford mortgage payments and grocery bills,” said Kris Sims, Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta Director.

On Monday, the UCP pledged to create a new provincial income tax bracket of eight per cent for Albertans earning $60,000 or less.

The party says this will save Alberta workers earning more than $60,000 about $760 per year and about $1,500 per family.

Currently, the provincial income tax rate is 10 per cent for all workers earning up to $142,292.

This promise would bring Alberta more in line with places such as British Columbia and Ontario which have tax brackets for lower income people.

A continued provincial fuel tax suspension would also save taxpayers hundreds of dollars per year.

The provincial fuel tax of 13 cents per litre of gasoline and diesel is currently suspended in Alberta, creating the lowest gas pump taxes in Canada. The only taxes currently paid at the pump in Alberta are federal fuel taxes.

The provincial fuel tax suspension saves people about $15 every time they fill up a pickup truck and it saves big rig truck drivers about $130 every time they fill up their tanks with diesel to deliver goods and groceries.

“Suspending the fuel tax and lowering income taxes for Albertans would make our province even more affordable and that’s great for taxpayers,” said Sims.

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