Ontario Government Wants To Post Stickers At Gas Pumps To Show Carbon Tax Effect On Prices

Ford’s government is hoping to show Ontarians exactly how much the new federal carbon tax is costing them with a new initiative that some are labelling as a “scare tactic.” The Ontario government plans to post anti-carbon tax stickers at gas stations across the province. Ontario's Environment and Energy Minister made the announcement on Monday.

"We will make sure that we use every tool at our disposal to make sure that Ontarians understand the impacts of this carbon tax — the impact on their business, the impacts on their families and the impact on our province's competitiveness," explained Environment Minister Rod Phillips to CBC while visiting a gas station in Oakville, Ontario.

The stickers, which would be required on gas pumps, would show that the tax has added 4.4 cents a litre to the price of gasoline, a price which is set to rise by 11 cents per litre by 2022. The newly enforced tax is set to cost a typical Ontarian household approximately $258 its first year, with that amount rising drastically to $648 come 2020.

Tax rebates will be offered to Ontarians, who are set to receive an annual $128 in income tax returns. The rebate will increase depending on various factors, including people with dependants at home and people with spouses.

Doug Ford's stance on the federal carbon tax is crystal clear. He has even mockingly branded the tax the “Trudeau Liberal carbon tax," according to The Spec.

Ford's government is now promoting its own Made-In-Ontario Environment Plan, which will reportedly help reduce emissions without having to impose a hefty carbon tax:

Ford’s attack on the tax has obviously sparked backlash from the Liberals, who are currently enforcing it. However, it also caused an outburst of scrutiny from the province’s Green Party, who levelled Ford’s campaign against the tax as environmental “sabotage.”

Ontario appears to be stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Many Canadians thinking about future generations are in support of the environmentally-conscious carbon tax. However, there's significant pushback from others who are worried about their financial futures as a result of the higher costs associated with the tax.