Dear Editor:
RE: Time to ‘axe’ Ford? (March 21).
Apart from other statements in his letter that I would take issue with, Ron Moore has repeated Justin Trudeau’s misleading claim that “For 80% of us, the carbon tax rebate puts as much or more money back into our pockets than it takes out in carbon tax”.
According to independent, non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux, who examined the carbon tax last year, “When both fiscal and economic impacts of the federal fuel charge are considered, we estimate that most households will see a net loss. Based on our analysis, most households will pay more in fuel charges and GST – as well as receiving slightly lower incomes – than they will receive in Climate Action Incentive payments.”
Giroux calculated that the average Ontario household’s net cost after rebates would be $627 in 2024, increasing to $1,820 by 2030, when the carbon tax increases to $170 per tonne.
Also, according to a study published by the Fraser Institute, a $170 carbon tax would shrink Canada’s economy by 1.8% and produce significant job losses and reduced real income in every province.
Even if the carbon tax had the desired effect of reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions (I have seen no evidence that it has), what difference would that make?
In 2021 Canada’s emissions comprised 1.5% of global GHG emissions compared to 26% for China (in 2018). And since 2005, emissions from China increased by 71.7%, as it continues to build more and more coal-fired power plants to meet demand for its products.
It’s absurd to think that, even if Canada could drive its GHG emissions to zero, there would be any measurable impact on the global climate.
Henry Brunsveld,
Puslinch