OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing 68 per cent of Canadians believe businesses pass on most or some of the cost of the industrial carbon tax to consumers.

“The poll shows that Canadians understand that a carbon tax on business is a carbon tax on Canadians that makes life more expensive,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Only 12 per cent of Canadians believe Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that businesses will pay most of the cost of his carbon tax.

“It’s doesn’t matter what lipstick politicians put on their carbon tax pig, all carbon taxes make life more expensive, hurt our economy and don’t work.”

The federal government currently imposes an industrial carbon tax on oil and gas, steel and fertilizer businesses, among others. Carney said that by “changing the carbon tax … We are making the large companies pay for everybody.”

The Leger poll asked Canadians who they think ultimately pays the industrial carbon tax. Results of the poll show:

• 43 per cent say most of the cost is passed on to consumers
• 25 per cent say some of the cost is passed on to consumers
• 12 per cent say businesses pay most of the cost
• 20 per cent don’t know

Albertans were most likely to say that most of the cost of the industrial carbon tax is passed on to consumers.

Among those decided on the issue, 86 per cent of Canadians say businesses pass on most or some of the cost to consumers.

“People know carbon taxes are deliberately making their lives more expensive, they are not being fooled,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “Regular people know all carbon taxes are a rip-off, it’s the politicians who are pretending they can ‘put a price’ on something, but not make it more expensive to live.”

The memorandum of understanding between the federal and Alberta governments includes an industrial carbon tax increase.

“It means more than a six times increase in the industrial price on carbon,” Carney said after signing the agreement.