The consumer carbon tax officially ends today following Mark Carney’s directive last month, which removed the fuel charge on April 1. The levy, which added 17.6 cents per litre to gasoline and 15.25 cents per cubic metre to natural gas, was initially implemented to encourage greener energy use.
Carney, who once supported the tax, reversed his stance during his Liberal leadership campaign, calling it “divisive.” While the consumer carbon tax is now eliminated, industrial polluters remain subject to carbon pricing.
First introduced by Justin Trudeau’s government in 2019, the tax faced opposition from provinces and became a focal point of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s “axe the tax” campaign. The repeal means cost savings for consumers at gas stations and on utility bills, but experts warn that the loss of carbon rebates will impact lower-income households the most.
In British Columbia, where a provincial carbon tax was in place, the removal takes effect today as well. However, in Quebec, the tax remains due to its separate pricing system. Economic analysts predict that while gas prices may drop immediately, savings on other goods will be less noticeable. The overall impact will depend on market conditions, transportation costs, and consumer habits in the coming months.
Source: Swifteradio.com
