Pause on gasoline and carbon taxes strongly supported by those struggling
For those struggling with the cost of living you would expect any option to cut their costs to be popular, but a wider cohort of Canadians would also be in favour of a pause on fuel taxes, according to a new report.
The Angus Reid Institute poll found that 56% of respondents across the board are supportive of putting a temporary hold on gas and carbon taxes due to the cost of living, rising to 74% among those self-reporting as ‘struggling’ and 60% among those who say they are ‘uncomfortable’ from a financial perspective. For those who are ‘comfortable’ or ‘thriving’ support is around four in ten.
A proposal put forward by the Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre before the House of Commons’ summer break is said to proponents to likely save around 30 cents a litre for drivers.
Support for a fuel tax holiday is strongest in Saskatchewan, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Alberta, while those in Quebec are least supportive and most likely to say that the cost to the environment and the government outweighs the benefit of pausing taxes, although even in that province it’s close with 42% in favour of a tax holiday and 44% against. Overall, one third of respondents agree with the later but 11% are unsure.
Carbon tax has become a divisive issue with a survey last year from Nanos Research revealing that 45% of respondents are unconvinced of carbon taxes’ impact on fuel usage and two thirds saying it’s a poor or very poor time to hike the taxes.
