VANCOUVER, B.C.: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on British Columbia’s government to cancel the increase in the provincial carbon tax, which is going up on April 1.

“We are calling on Premier David Eby to cancel the carbon tax hike and to scrap the second carbon tax,” said Carson Binda, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Life is unaffordable for British Columbians right now. This tax hike will only make it harder for families to afford to buy groceries and to get to work.” 

On April 1, the first provincial carbon tax is going up from 11 cents per litre of gasoline to 14 cents per litre. Unlike other provinces, B.C. also has a second carbon tax which is a provincial government fuel regulation that makes gasoline and diesel more expensive. 

On average, the second B.C. carbon tax adds another 17 cents per litre of gasoline to the price at the pump. The combined provincial, TransLink and federal taxes will add 78 cents per litre to the price of gasoline, in the lower mainland. 

By cancelling the first carbon tax hike and scrapping the second carbon tax, the B.C. government would cut about 20 cents of tax per litre of gasoline and save people about $15 every time they fill up a minivan.

“Folks across B.C. are being raked over the coals when they fill up their cars to drive to school or work,” said Binda. “The government even admits this tax hike will hurt the people who can least afford it”.

“Single-income female-led households have a higher carbon tax burden,” according to B.C. Budget 2023. “Rural communities may have higher indirect carbon tax burdens (e.g., through higher shipping costs resulting in a higher price of goods), and colder regions of the province may have higher carbon tax costs for home heating.”

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