The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has called for gas tax cuts in Alberta after it released its Gas Tax Honesty Report (GTHR). CTF Alberta Director Kris Sims said the province used to lead Canada in low fuel taxes, but that award now goes to Manitoba. “The Alberta government needs to cut taxes for all Albertans like it promised to do in the election,” said Sims in a press release. The CTF showed in the GTHR how much tax drivers are paying per litre of gas and diesel across Canada.Albertans pay 48 cents in tax per litre of gas and 46 cents in tax per litre of diesel with federal and provincial fuel taxes combined. Manitobans pay 34 cents per litre in tax.The federal carbon tax costs Albertans more than 17 cents per litre of gas and 21 cents per litre of diesel. That cost is set to increase every year until 2030 when the carbon tax will hit 37 cents per litre of gas and 45 cents per litre of diesel.Filling up a minivan with gas in Alberta costs $36 in total taxes, and a pickup truck will cost about $55. Meanwhile, filling up the tanks on a big rig diesel truck costs truckers about $400 extra in taxes.The Ontario government has cut the fuel tax by 5.5 cents per litre, and the Newfoundland and Labrador government extended its fuel tax cut for the entire year.“Albertans used to have a big advantage because our provincial fuel tax was fully suspended for a year, but those days are gone and now we are paying the full freight,” said Sims. “Albertans need a tax cut at the pumps, and we need the [Justin] Trudeau carbon tax scrapped.”The CTF called on Albertans to contact Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and demand she freeze the fuel tax in March. READ MORE: Taxpayer watchdog urges Albertans to contact Smith over fuel tax hike“You know Albertans are still fighting to afford the basics like home heating and groceries and they can’t handle a tax hike right now,” said Sims. “The premier is getting bad advice from the bureaucrats in Edmonton who are pushing her to hike taxes on Albertans.”
