BC United MLA Peter Milobar
Kamloops North Thompson
Despite a major affordability crisis
currently gripping British Columbia, the NDP government is proceeding with
their planned 23 percent carbon tax increase on April 1. It’s the latest in a
string of 32 new and increased taxes under David Eby and the NDP that will only
increase cost-of-living pressures and make life more expensive. When more than
half of British Columbians are just $200 away from not being able to pay their
bills each month, this hike shows exactly how out of touch David Eby’s NDP government has become.
The carbon tax, which was once capped
at $30 and a revenue neutral tax shift that returned every dollar back to
British Columbians, has morphed into a cash grab under the NDP, with the government
now pocketing approximately 60 percent of the proceeds. This drastic shift has
turned a policy meant to combat climate change into another financial burden on
the wallets of British Columbians.
British Columbia already has the
highest gas taxes and prices in North America, where residents are faced with a
14.5 cent provincial motor fuel tax and a carbon tax that currently stands at
14 cents per litre. The last thing people need is higher gas prices, but the
situation is about to get worse on April 1 when the carbon tax is set to
increase to almost 18 cents a litre.
This is only the beginning. From 2017
to 2023, the NDP has more than doubled the carbon tax, and plans laid out by
David Eby signal an increase to an overwhelming 461 percent by 2030. As a
result, the NDP plans to further hike the carbon tax will make an already
challenging situation worse, push our gas prices higher than ever, and place
additional strain on households and small businesses.
Yet, in the face of these challenges,
we must ask ourselves if this cash grab has been effective in addressing
climate change. Unfortunately, the path chosen by the NDP—marked by the removal
of revenue neutrality and a significant hike in tax rates—is not a balanced or
effective approach to this global challenge. The tax’s structure is no longer
sustainable for British Columbians, particularly tradespeople and those reliant
on vehicles for their livelihood, who will see their costs soar as a result.
The NDP’s approach is emblematic of
their inability to manage finances effectively and David Eby’s failure to
address the affordability crisis. With a history of record taxation and
deficits, this government has shown a disregard for practical fiscal management
and the economic well-being of folks in every corner of our province.
Kevin Falcon and our BC United team
are committed to taking immediate action to deliver results and alleviate this
pressure. We will stop the carbon tax increase on fuel and permanently reduce
the provincial fuel tax, offering immediate relief of up to fifteen cents per
litre at the pump. Unlike the NDP, we know that B.C. can be a climate leader in
a way that doesn’t come at the expense of affordability for people.
The choice before British Columbians is
clear. We can continue down the path of punishing taxation and fiscal
mismanagement laid out by the NDP, or we can choose a future where
environmental stewardship, affordability, and strong economic management go
hand in hand.
Peter Milobar was elected MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson
in 2017 and re-elected in 2020. He currently serves as Shadow Minister for
Finance.
He has served previously as the Opposition House Leader, Shadow
Minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Environment and Climate
Change, and as a Member of the Select Standing Committees on Crown Corporations
and Finance and Government Services.
Before entering provincial
politics, Milobar was Mayor of Kamloops for three
terms after previously serving two terms as councillor. He
served as chair of the Thompson Regional Hospital District for five
terms and was a director for the Thompson-Nicola Regional District since
2005.
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