The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on provincial premiers across the country to join New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs in challenging the federal carbon tax in court. The CTF argues that the tax disproportionately burdens Canadian taxpayers, particularly when it comes to home heating costs, and that the federal government's recent exemptions are unfair.“Higgs is right that the carbon tax is an unfair punishment on Canadians, and all premiers should stick up for their taxpayers by following his lead,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Taxpayers are taking it on the chin every time we pay our heating bills, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is blowing a hole through constitutional accountability with his unequal application of the carbon tax.”Higgs recently announced that if re-elected, his government would pursue a legal challenge against the federal carbon tax, arguing that it unfairly impacts essential costs like gas, groceries, and heating. The federal government’s recent decision to temporarily exempt furnace oil from the carbon tax for three years has sparked further criticism, as other home heating fuels, such as natural gas, remain taxed.“Across Canada, fuel oil makes up just 3% of residential heating energy,” noted the government of Nova Scotia. The majority of Canadians, especially those in colder regions, rely on natural gas for home heating. According to the Canadian Gas Association, the average home consumes 2,385 cubic metres of natural gas annually, meaning a removal of the carbon tax could save households approximately $360 per year," Terrazzano said.The CTF believes this selective exemption is politically motivated and leaves most Canadians with higher heating bills. “When Trudeau announced his furnace oil carve-out, he admitted the carbon tax makes life more expensive, he admitted the carbon tax is all about politics, and he left 97 per cent of Canadian families out in the cold,” Terrazzano said.A 2023 Leger poll found that 70% of Canadians support removing the carbon tax from all home heating fuels, not just furnace oil. The CTF is urging other premiers to follow Higgs' lead and take legal action to protect their constituents from rising costs.“All premiers should do everything in their power to fight the carbon tax,” Terrazzano concluded.
