Eby says B.C. will scrap carbon tax when feds remove law requiring it
B.C. Premier David Eby says his government will scrap the consumer-based carbon tax when the federal law requiring it is removed.
The premier provided the update during a press conference on Monday. The move comes after the new federal Liberal leader, Marc Carney, announced he would immediately stop the consumer carbon tax and a previously planned capital gains tax increase.
Eby said it was “unfortunate” that a policy created between governments for driving down carbon pollution was “politicized and accelerated in the fact of a cost of living crisis in a way that cost support across the political spectrum.”
“It was an important tool here in British Columbia,” he added.
However, Eby said his government “made an unambiguous commitment” to British Columbians to get rid of the tax.
He had previously announced his promise to scrap the tax during last fall’s provincial election campaign, which prompted a wave of reaction from British Columbians and the leaders of rival B.C. political parties at the time.
Eby said that even though the consumer-based tax will eventually be removed, the province will “continue to make sure that big polluters pay… And for the people who are filling up their cars, who are heating their homes, for the residents of British Columbia, we’re going to make sure that the carbon tax is not there for them.”
What do you think about the province putting an end to the consumer-based carbon tax? Let us know in the comments.