The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is applauding the federal government for extending its federal gas tax cut and urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to go further and make the tax cut permanent.

“The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been pushing for gas tax relief for a long time and the government’s decision to cut taxes at the fuel pumps will help a lot of people this fall,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Canadians made it clear they can’t afford to pay more to fuel up and pay more for everything that’s trucked to store shelves and it’s good the government listened to taxpayers and extended the relief.

“Now Carney needs to cut spending to make this tax cut permanent without ballooning the debt.”

The federal government temporarily suspended its 10 cent per litre gas tax and four cent per litre excise tax on diesel in April. The government had originally planned to increase its fuel tax back up on Sept. 8.

Today, the federal government announced it is extending its temporary fuel tax suspension until 2027.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation commissioned Leger polling asking Canadians if they supported or opposed the government increasing gas taxes back up in September. The poll showed 63 per cent of Canadians opposed the government increasing the gas tax back up.

Most Canadians in every demographic – gender, age and province – oppose the federal government increasing fuel taxes in September, according to the poll. Among those decided on the issue, 71 per cent of Canadians opposed the September fuel tax increase.

The federal government still charges sales tax on gasoline and diesel, and it imposes fuel regulations. Those fuel regulations currently cost up to seven cents per litre of gas.

“Carney is right to cut gas taxes and now he needs to cut wasteful spending to make this relief permanent without ballooning the debt,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “That means the prime minister can’t spend six figures on airplane food, tens of billions on high-speed rail and needs to put Ottawa’s bloated bureaucracy on a diet.”

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