LETHBRIDGE, AB: As Liberal leadership campaigns are preparing to launch, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on all Liberal leadership candidates to commit to scrapping the carbon tax, especially with the next carbon tax hike coming on April 1.

“This was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s costly failure and the carbon tax should go out the door with him,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “Why would the next Liberal leader want to keep this political millstone and continue to punish taxpayers whenever they fill up at the gas station or pay their home-heating bill?”

The new leader of the Liberal Party will face a rapidly approaching deadline for a key carbon tax decision.

Parliament resumes on March 24 and opposition parties have all promised to immediately bring down the government and trigger an election.

The carbon tax is set to increase April 1.

“A carbon tax hike in the first days of an election will absolutely infuriate taxpayers,” said Sims. “And pausing that hike would be a half measure that taxpayers would view as a silly pre-election gimmick.

“The next Liberal leader is facing a stark choice: kick off the election by hiking the carbon tax or scrap the failed scheme completely.”

Prior to the carbon tax hike last spring, a Leger poll showed 69 per cent of Canadians opposed the increase.

After the April increase, the carbon tax will cost 21 cents per litre of gasoline, 25 cents per litre of diesel and 18 cents per cubic metre of natural gas.

At those rates, the carbon tax will cost about $15 extra to fill a minivan, about $27 extra to fill a pickup truck and about $250 extra to fill a big rig truck. The average Canadian household will need to pay about $390 extra on their home heating bills for natural gas.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance reports the carbon tax cost the long haul trucking industry $2 billion in 2024.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer reports the carbon tax will cost Canadian farmers $1 billion over the next five years.

The PBO also confirmed, again, that the carbon tax costs the average Canadian family more money than they get back in rebates.

“The carbon tax makes Canadians pay more for everything, from fuel to food,” said Sims. “Continuing to punish Canadians with the pointless carbon tax would be political suicide so taxpayers expect anyone hoping to become prime minister to immediately commit to scrapping the carbon tax.”

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