“Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly call on the Government of Canada to stop its planned April 1, 2022 increase of the carbon tax to $50 per ton, and its further plan to increase the carbon tax to $170 per ton, given that Canadian families are struggling with the highest inflation in 30 years.”
Those were the words of a motion introduced in the Alberta Legislature Monday in the hopes it will convince the federal government’s plan to increase the carbon tax Friday.
The UCP says the province’s economic recovery is at risk if Albertans cannot absorb costs imposed on them by the federal government. Citing Bank of Canada information, the party says the increase in carbon tax is expected to bump inflation by another 0.5 per cent.
“Albertans will be receiving much-needed relief from the provincial fuel tax and the $150 electricity rebate, on top of our cap on natural gas prices,” said Premier Jason Kenney in a media release. “Now we need the Government of Canada to stop increasing the cost of living by shelving their planned April 1 carbon tax hike, which they intend to more than triple over the years to come.”
The Government of Alberta previously announced it would drop the province’s 13 cents per litre fuel tax, effective Friday as well as $150 rebates for electricity rates.
