The pause on the carbon tax for home heating oil is now in effect.
The decision to stop the collection of the tax on home heating oil for three years has been a hot topic of discussion in the House of Commons, as well as with the premiers of Canada’s provinces and territories. Those debates have led to the Conservatives putting forward a motion to abolish the price plan altogether, but it was shot down by the governing Liberals.
Residents in this province will no longer see the tax reflected on their oil bill until 2026.
The tax, which was added in July, was about 17 cents per litre.
Political Scientist Weighs-In on Pause
(Photo via Acadia University)
A political scientist says the federal government’s three-year pause on application of the carbon tax on home heating oil is a direct result of declining support since the contentious measure was implemented.
Dr. Alex Marland, who is with Acadia University’s Department of Politics, worked for years in Newfoundland and Labrador observing the local political scene.
He says there’s little doubt that the announcement made by the federal Liberals is directly related to poor polling in the region.
Marland says the carbon tax came at a very hard time for ordinary Canadians who are struggling with the rising cost of living. Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre is capitalizing on that with a simple slogan “Axe the Tax.”
“I think they’ve hit a good message in that respect,” says Marland. He says there’s a sense out there that people are not so much enamored with Pierre Poilievre as Prime Minister, as they are looking for an alternative to Justin Trudeau.
Marland says if the economic situation were to improve, carbon tax may no longer be as great a political issue.
