42% Of Canadians Say Drop Carbon Tax: POLL
This is a poll from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute:
The Trudeau government, once lauded for its savvy communications style is facing resistance to one of its signature policies, in large part due to its evident failure to adequately communicate how the policy works.
The latest data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, digging into not only what Canadians think of carbon pricing, but why, reveals a profound lack of awareness, and misconceptions about how much tax they believe they pay, whether they receive a rebate and the extent to which they are ahead or behind financially once that rebate is paid.
This, combined with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and skepticism over whether carbon pricing is actually doing much to combat climate change are driving a plurality of Canadians (42%) to call for the tax to be abolished.
Others are less certain that the tax needs to be permanently done away with, but 17 per cent would lower it temporarily for the next three years, while one-quarter would hold off on any subsequent increases, maintaining current taxation levels. The smallest group – 15 per cent overall – say they would continue as planned, with the scheduled price increase next April.
Much of this comes as a new financial environment has altered Canadians’ priorities. The proportion of those saying climate change is among their top issues facing Canada has dropped from 40 per cent in 2019, to 34 per cent in 2021, to 22 per cent in this latest study.
Canadians In Mortgage Crunch Doubles: POLL
Broadly, this has contributed to an 11-point drop in support for carbon pricing in Canada compared to 2021 levels.
Some of this consternation may be overcome with an improvement in communication and delivery on the part of the federal government. In the areas where the federal carbon tax is operating, the government states that 90 per cent of households will receive a quarterly rebate. Those saying they are relatively certain they received one, however, is much lower in Alberta (66%) and Ontario (58%). Among those who have received a household rebate, at least 51 per cent in each eligible region of the country say they feel they pay more for the carbon tax than they receive back in benefits.
More Key Findings:
- Among those who say they receive more or about the same amount in a rebate compared to what they spend, four-in-five (79%) support the carbon tax. Among those who say they spend more than they get back, four-in-five (82%) oppose it.
- Half of Canadians (48%) support the Liberal government’s exemption of home heating oil from the carbon tax, while one-in-three (34%) oppose it. Two-thirds (65%) would further exempt all home heating fuels.
- While they’re critical of the carbon tax, 54 per cent of Canadians say Canada should continue to commit to reaching its 2030 emission reduction targets.
Link to the poll here: www.angusreid.org/
—
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
City Isn’t Serious About Saving Money: MULVIHILL
Canadians Call Commons ‘Posturing’: POLL
MacLeod Condemns Trudeau Costume Choice
Dump The Luxury Housing, Jeff Leiper: THE VOTER
Don’t miss our regular features
Everything Ottawa Full Local Bulldog Canadian
Opinion Comments Breaking News Auto
Ontario World Get Cheap Gas Big Money
Pop Gossip Your Home Relax … Tech
Bulldog Weather Full Local Sports
TV/Movies Travel
Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
– The Bulldog – News Feed Enter 
Getting rid of the Carbon tax would be the most “unwise” thing an average Canadian could do. Here are the actual refund facts, (as I have a heat pump my cars fuel is my only carbon tax):
I get $732 carbon tax rebate direct deposit. (the bank shows a quarterly deposit “Canada CAI $183” which many people miss as a refund on carbon tax)
The carbon tax on gasoline is at .1431/litre (14.31 cents per litre)
That $732 would refund the tax on 5,115 litres of gasoline
That 5115 litres of fuel would cost me $8184 based on $1.60 per lire. That is, I would need to spend $682 per month on gas to break even on carbon tax spent vs rebate. Only at $683/month would I start spending more on carbon tax.
The Canadian car fuel economy average is @8.6 l/100, my car is actually 5.2, but we will use the average of 8.6.
So 5115 Litres of gas at the fuel economy of 8.6l/100km = 59,476 km a year.
According to Natural Resources Canada, Office of Energy Resources, the average mileage per year in Canada is about 15,200 kilometres. At 15,200 km/year, I would need 1760 litres of gas or $253 spent on the carbon tax. My rebate is $529 more than I would spend per year.
Why would I not want a 300% return on my investment of $100? Even the best investment such as real estate, stocks or cryptocurrency cannot give a reliable return as this 300% per year.
Note: industrial polluters are subsidizing all of us. The rebates on windows, heat pumps, electric vehicles, thermostats, insulation etc. are also because of the carbon tax. If the tax is cancelled we will all loose rebates, home improvement rebates and risk moving away from clean solutions to energy.
I’m a simple man. What I’d like to know is 1) how much money does the government collect overall per annum from Canadians through the carbon tax, 2) how much is returned to taxpayers and why, and 3) provide an itemized breakdown (including a dollar amount for each item) showing what the difference between 1) and 2) is actually used for. As Denzel Washington said in the movie Philadelphia, “explain it to me like I’m a 6-year old”.
Those are good questions if we were politicians, I hear people confuse the carbon tax is costing them more than the rebate, but industry pays the most. So as far as the average “person” I gave the simple answer in a detailed way, above, so here it is about as simple as I could think: “I would need to spend $682 per month on gas to break even on carbon tax spent vs rebate. Only at $683/month would I start spending more on carbon tax.” On top of that my heat pump, windows , insulation and EV rebate come from the funds (mainly industrial contributions to the tax.). Even industry gets new motors, heat recovery equipment and other rebates. I agree totally, the explanation is poorly given by government agencies and politicians and it is a disservice to not inform us with basic numbers.