EDMONTON – Premier Jason Kenney announced from an Edmonton Co-op grocery store Monday afternoon that he would be introducing a motion in the legislature to halt an increase to the federal carbon tax, slated for April 1.
The motion will "clearly demonstrate our opposition to the Trudeau government's April Fool's Day joke of hiking the carbon tax on April 1 right when Canadians are already struggling with rising costs on everything from food in grocery stores, to home heating, to filling up our cars," Kenney said.
An increase from around nine cents a litre to 11 cents a litre in carbon tax is expected on the first of the month when a price of $50 per tonne begins.
"Trudeau's carbon tax hike is another body blow to Albertans – taking money out of our pockets and sending it to Ottawa when we can least afford it," said Kenney.
The premier said this is just the beginning of substantial increases to the cost of living resulting from the federal carbon tax, which he referred to as the Trudeau Liberal-NDP government's plan.
He said that the tax is expected to increase every year for the next nine years at which time it will reach $170 per tonne. By 2030, Kenney said that motorists will pay 39 cents per litre at the pump.
According to Statistics Canada, Canadian motorists paid 32.3 per cent more for fuel in February 2022 compared to that month the year before. Increased prices to gasoline and diesel have been sparked by conflict in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, alongside a 30-year inflation high.
To offer some relief to consumers, the province announced earlier this month it would be pausing the provincial gas tax – which is currently around 13 cents per litre, on April 1, pending sustained increases to oil prices.
When everything is said and done, Albertans will save about 10 cents per litre.
Debate on the motion is expect to occur over Monday and Tuesday's sitting.
The premier, alongside Minister of Finance Travis Toews and House Leader Jason Nixon called for unanimous support from MLAs during their remarks.
