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By Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: BC NDP deny carbon tax relief

Dec 14, 2023 | 10:30 AM

AFTER SEVEN YEARS AND TWO TERMS of the NDP, British Columbia has become the most unaffordable province in the country.

The prices of gas, groceries and housing all continue to climb, while over half of British Columbians are $200 or less away from not being able to pay their bills at the end of the month. People in all corners of the province feel that no matter how hard they work, they just can’t get ahead of the rising costs.

Our BC United team has spent months proposing numerous measures the government could take to help people hit the hardest by the affordability crisis. Unfortunately, the NDP has failed to act and make life more affordable.

And now when provincial premiers of all political stripes are calling for equal carbon tax relief on home heating fuel, David Eby continues to leave British Columbians out in the cold. Instead of following NDP leaders across the country and fighting for fair carbon tax relief David Eby has recommitted his plan to double the carbon tax, all while visits to food banks in British Columbia are hitting record highs.

Luckily, Kevin Falcon and BC United have a common sense plan to make life more affordable for British Columbians. A BC United government will eliminate the carbon tax on home heating fuels. Heating your home is not a choice, especially in northern and rural parts of the province. Eliminating this tax will ensure affordable home heating this winter everywhere from Vancouver to Vanderhoof.

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Secondly, we will permanently eliminate the provincial gas tax, which will save drivers up to $30 every time they fill their tanks. The reality is British Columbians need to drive to get to work, drop their kids off at school, and take them to hockey practice. People in the Cariboo and rural areas across the province do not have the same frequent transit options as those in the Lower Mainland and should not be punished for an unavoidable cost.

Additionally, we would remove the carbon tax on farm fuel use, lowering costs for our hard-working farmers, ranchers and the agricultural sector. Cutting the carbon tax on the farms that produce B.C.’s food and eliminating the gas tax for the trucks that transport the food, will result in lower prices at the grocery store

Finally, we would freeze David Eby’s carbon tax hikes ensuring British Columbians are not forced to endure continually increasing prices in the years ahead. We have also promised that if decision-makers in Ottawa choose to scrap the federal carbon tax, we will remove it in B.C. as well, ensuring that our province does not fall behind the rest of the country.

Life in British Columbia has never been so expensive and instead of bringing relief to British Columbians David Eby has dug in his heels and decided to double the carbon tax.

BC United is focused on delivering real affordability to British Columbians and we will start with common sense carbon tax relief.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.