The April 1st increase in the federal excise tax on alcohol makes its way to the shelves in Newfoundland and Labrador tomorrow.

The tax goes up by two per cent but just how that translates at the cash register depends on the product.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been against the levy from the outset. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brought it in in 2017, legislating it as an annual hike without any vote in Parliament.

Franco Terrazano, federal director of the federation, says taxes make up almost half the cost (46 per cent) of alcohol in Canada, far greater than peer countries.

“In the United States taxes account for about 17 per cent of the cost of beer, in Europe it’s about 30 per cent so, clearly, the taxes applied by both the federal and provincial governments are way too high,” Terrazano says.