The Canadian Taxpayers Federation presented a phony billion dollar cheque to the government on Thursday, saying that is how much taxpayers are paying in gas taxes every year.
Thanks to recent increases, and the addition of escalating carbon taxes, Greater Vancouver drivers are now paying nearly 50 cents a litre in taxes alone – just as the summer driving season begins.
A handful of drivers in Burnaby were surprised, and lucky, at the pumps on The Thursday however, when the Taxpayers Federation handed them back some cash.
The amount of each cheque equaled the gas taxes they paid on their fill-up.
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“The whole point of today’s exercise was to show you just how much you pay in taxes for each liter of gas,” said Jordan Batemen of the Taxpayers Federation. “In the Lower Mainland alone almost 50 cents per liter goes to the government. It’s not only the highest gas taxes in Canada but also the highest in North America. This year alone Greater Vancouver will pay more to the government than ever before.”
Bateman said “overburdened taxpayers” in the Lower Mainland will pay a billion dollars to the government in gas tax alone.
“This is literally highway robbery.”
Add in the rest of the province and that one billion jumps to 1.82 billion dollars.
For every litre, British Columbians pay 6.7 cents in carbon tax, 8.5 cents in provincial tax, 10 cents in federal tax, and a whopping 17 cents per liter is paid to Translink.
On all of this 5 per cent HST is charged so you’re literally paying a tax on a tax.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it wouldn’t be complaining if the money went to roads as promised.
Add in the rest of the province and in less than two years the B.C. gas tax could pay off the 3.3 billion dollar Port Mann Bridge project.
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