OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation testified in Parliament’s environment committee calling on the federal government to scrap its industrial carbon tax.

“It doesn’t matter what label politicians slap on their carbon tax, all carbon taxes make life more expensive, hurt Canadian workers and don’t work,” testified Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “The industrial carbon tax is the worst of all worlds: It’s hidden, it makes life more expensive and it will cost Canadians their jobs.

“Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to end his hidden carbon taxes for all the reasons the government needed to end the consumer carbon tax.”

A video of the CTF’s testimony to Parliament’s environment committee is available at this LINK.

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.”

However, a Leger poll shows that about 70 per cent of Canadians believe businesses pass most or some of the cost of the industrial carbon tax on to consumers. Meanwhile, just 12 per cent believe businesses pay most of the cost.

Trade unions and businesses have both warned about the costs of the industrial carbon tax.

“This [industrial carbon tax] will bankrupt the steelmaking industry in Hamilton and play right into Donald Trump’s hands, moving that steel production into the states and all the jobs that come with it,” said Nathan Bergstrand, business manager for Canadian Piping Trades Local 67 in Hamilton.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is pausing its “$8.25-billion expansion of its Jackpine oil-sands mine in northern Alberta, citing uncertainty over government policies as well as calling for the end of carbon pricing,” the Globe and Mail reported earlier this month.

“Canadians understand that carbon taxes on refineries make it more expensive to drive, carbon taxes on fertilizer plants make it more expensive to eat and carbon taxes on electricity make it more expensive to live,” testified Terrazzano. “Carney’s carbon tax will push Canadian entrepreneurs to cut production here and set up shop south of the border.

“Carney can make life more affordable and help Canadian businesses and workers by ending all carbon taxes.”