CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation slammed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for releasing regulations containing a second carbon tax known as the so-called clean fuel standard.

“Trudeau needs to reverse his plans to hammer Canadians with his second carbon tax,” said Franco Terrazzano, the CTF’s Alberta Director. “Hiking a carbon tax during the middle of economic downturn is bad enough, but announcing a second carbon tax is a slap in the face to struggling families and businesses.”

The federal government introduced a second carbon tax through regulations in the Canada Gazette. The regulations will require producers to reduce the carbon content of their fossil fuels and pay a carbon tax if they can’t meet the fuel requirement. The second carbon tax will be in addition to the current carbon tax, which Trudeau is increasing to $170 per tonne.

Economists have been warning that Trudeau’s second carbon tax will have a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Trudeau’s second carbon tax could increase the cost of gasoline by 10 to 19 per cent, according to a report by LFX Associates.

In August, Trudeau promised Canadians that he would not be raising taxes.

“The last thing Canadians need is to see a rise in taxes right now … we are not going to be saddling Canadians with extra costs,” said Trudeau.

“Trudeau just promised Canadians that he wouldn’t increases taxes or costs, but he continues to break that promise by imposing a second carbon tax,” said Terrazzano. “I don’t know many Canadians that have enough money lying around to pay for two carbon taxes, so Trudeau needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out a way to stop hammering families and businesses with higher costs.”

The CTF launched a petition calling on Trudeau to scrap his second carbon tax which can be found here.