This is where you can find the lowest gas prices in the GTA

Toronto motorists will start dishing out more money at the pump starting today as the federal government’s new carbon tax officially kicked in.

Since January, the average cost of gas has already risen 20 cents per litre in Canada, leaving the average motorist to pay an extra $9 per fill-up, according to GasBuddy.

But this amount is now even steeper in Ontario since the carbon tax fee on gasoline, diesel and heating fuels throughout the country comes into effect on April 1.

The tax hike — which is intended to put a price on carbon pollution and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change — only affects four provinces without their own carbon pricing system, which includes Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Manitoba.

Residents of the four provinces will be getting a basic Climate Action Incentive tax rebate on their 2018 personal tax return.

The federal tax is $20 a tonne for this year, but it’s set to increase by $10 annually until April 2022.

See also

• Canadian gas prices expected to 'surge' next week
• All the changes to TTC fares as hike kicks in today
• What you need to know about Ontario's Carbon Tax rebate

Here in Ontario, the fuel charge on gasoline in 2019 will be 4.42 cents per litre. This number will further rise to 6.6. cents in 2020, 8.8 cents in 2021 and 11.1 cents per cubic metre in April 2022, according to the Office of the Ontario Premier.

If you need to fill up and you want to avoid paying sky-high gas prices, these are the currently the 10 best gas stations with the lowest prices, according to GasBuddy.

GasBuddy

Premiere Doug Ford has called the carbon tax “job-killing” and continues to fight the federal carbon tax and previously said that “a carbon tax will make no difference to the environment.”

Instead, it will, “drive up the cost of gas for your car, home heating for your family and the cost of getting food to your grocery store shelf,” during a tour of Challenger Motor Freight in Cambridge, Ontario, last month.

Additionally, in response to the tax hike, Ford says starting today, Ontario drivers no longer need to get Drive Clean emissions tests for their light-duty passenger vehicles, as part of the government’s commitment to make life easier for vehicle owners and save taxpayers up to $40 million a year.