The federal carbon tax is increasing on April 1 despite the economic pain the coronavirus pandemic is having on Canadian workers and businesses.
That scheduled rise from $20 per tonne to $30 per tonne is in keeping with the plan to raise it by $10 per tonne each year until 2022. For consumers, that translates to roughly an extra 2.5 cents per litre of gasoline at the pumps.
The prime minister repeatedly refused to give a yes or no answer to whether the increase would go ahead during days of recent questioning by journalists.
READ MORE: Trudeau refuses to say if planned carbon tax increase still a go amid coronavirus
“We know that it is important that we put more money in the pockets of Canadians at this point when they’re stressed,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday.
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“Our plan on pricing pollution puts more money upfront into people’s pockets than they would pay with the new price on pollution. We’re going to continue to focus on putting more money in people’s pockets to support them right across the country.”
0:59Trudeau refuses to say if planned carbon tax increase still a go amid coronavirus
Trudeau refuses to say if planned carbon tax increase still a go amid coronavirus
Unemployment claims have spiked in recent weeks as a result of the broad business and social shutdowns ordered by public officials to attempt to contain the spread of the virus.
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