If Canada axed its carbon tax — and rebates — this is how different households would gain or lose
- Media Manager
- Dec 5, 2023
- 1 min read
CBC News
Written By: Robson Fletcher
Published: December 5th, 2023
Back in 1989, there were "Axe the Tax" rallies over the proposed GST. The events had a way of uniting political rivals who shared an opponent in Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Speakers at a rally in Kindersley, Sask., included the Reform Party's Preston Manning, the Liberals' Lloyd Axworthy and the Saskatchewan NDP's Roy Romanow.
Today, the latest target of the perennial catchphrase is the federal carbon tax. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been hosting his own "Axe the Tax" rallies across the country for months now, similarly uniting opponents of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The costs of the carbon tax typically take centre stage at these rallies. Less often mentioned are the associated rebates, which are worth roughly $70 to $140 per month for a family of four, depending on where they live. (Larger or smaller households receive proportionally more or less, respectively.)
This makes the carbon tax different from other forms of taxation. While there are modest GST rebates for low-income households, the carbon-tax rebates are universal and significantly larger.
Axing the carbon tax would, presumably, also axe the rebates. So, on balance, how would that shake out for Canadians?
