The Manitoba government is facing criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for spending over $90,000 on what the watchdog group calls a misleading advertising campaign promoting its gas tax policy.According to documents obtained by the CTF, the province spent $90,547.91 on a series of taxpayer-funded advertisements promoting a “permanent gas tax cut” that took effect on January 1, 2025. In reality, that date marked the return of a 12.5 cents per litre tax on gasoline — up from zero throughout 2024.“Taxpayers should not be paying tens-of-thousands of dollars for a government spin campaign,” said Gage Haubrich, the CTF’s Prairie Director. “It’s extremely disingenuous for the government to brand its gas tax hike as a cut when taxpayers are paying more gas taxes in 2025 than they were last year.”The province had suspended its 14 cents per litre gas tax for all of 2024. While the reintroduced 2025 rate of 12.5 cents per litre is technically 1.5 cents less than what drivers paid in 2023, it is still significantly higher than the zero rate maintained throughout 2024.Billboards used in the campaign featured slogans such as “Permanent gas tax cut starting January 1st.” The government also budgeted a total of $180,000 to advertise both the gas tax and its 12-month freeze on Manitoba Hydro rates.The CTF also pointed out that the NDP’s 2023 election platform had promised to keep the gas tax suspension in place “while inflation remains high.” Since 2020, the price of goods in Manitoba has climbed by 19%.As a result of the 2025 gas tax, the CTF estimates families are now paying about $9 more every time they fill up a minivan and $12 more for a pick-up truck compared to last year. A typical family filling both vehicles every two weeks is expected to spend an additional $550 on fuel taxes this year.“Instead of being misleading about how much Manitobans are paying in gas taxes, the government should actually make life more affordable by bringing back the gas tax cut,” said Haubrich. “Manitoba families having trouble affording the basics need lower taxes, not a deceptive taxpayer-funded ad campaign.”The CTF also noted that a Manitoba household earning $75,000 pays more in provincial taxes than similar families in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Ontario.
