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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Who will end up paying for that carbon tax exemption for the Greenhouse industry giveaway? We will!

 

A RISE IN THE CARBON TAX was no April Fools joke for the people of BC.

Carbon taxes imposed by the Provincial and Federal governments will go from a current rate of $50 per tonne ... to $65 per tonne ... a THIRTY percent increase.

According to a Global News story, from today forward over the next 365 days we’ll be paying an extra 3 cents per litre of gas ... 17 cents for diesel ... and heating our home with natural gas will cost an extra 12 cents per cubic metre.

Now maybe we can drive less, so as to keep the increased cost of the carbon tax on fuel to a minimal amount – MAYBE – but what about those of us in the Interior and Northern BC that would appreciate the heat of our natural gas furnaces?

From the start, I have NEVER understood why a necessity like home heating fuel gets hit with the carbon tax. Heating our home isn’t some frivolous thing ... it’s not a luxury ... it’s a NECESSITY!

Of course, the Carbon Tax is just one small part of the costs associated with heating our homes with natural gas. Take my most recent bill for example, which had a total cost of $166.38.

Of that amount, only $49 was the actual cost of the gas.  Then there were the following multiple fees and taxes:


Basic Charge to be connected to the Fortis BC system ... $13.49

Delivery Fee ... which came in at a whopping $56.36

Storage and Transport of the natural gas ... $10.77

  • TOTAL of $80.62

 

Municipal operating fee of $4.01

BC Clean Energy levy ... $0.53

GST ... $7.90

  • TOTAL of $12.44

 

As well as the aforementioned Carbon Tax which comes in at $24.31

So, looking at my Fortis bill ... just 30% is for the actual cost of the gas --- the rest is all of those taxes ... fees ... levies ... and the absurd category of connection costs, delivery, and storage / transport.

But, the provincial government of NDP Premier David Eby isn’t finished dipping into our pockets. To add insult to injury, the Agriculture Ministry sent out a media release on Friday (March 31st) touting a carbon tax exemption for greenhouse growers:

New carbon tax exemption improves greenhouse grower cash flow

“The greenhouse carbon tax exemption will provide eligible greenhouse operations with an 80% exemption to carbon tax, which will be implemented on April 1, 2023, by the Ministry of Finance”    

So, while WE as residents of BC are FORCED to pay the carbon tax on a necessity --- home heating fuel ... the Greenhouse industry gets an EIGHTY PERCENT EXEMPTION.

And who will end up paying for that carbon tax exemption for the Greenhouse industry giveaway?  We will!

I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sit well with me ... what about you?

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