Taxes on gasoline average 38% of the cost across Canada

[chuckChuck]

Check out Petro Canada's breakdown of gas taxes in Canada.
http://retail.petro-canada.ca/en/fuelsavings/gas-taxes-canada.aspx

Alberta: 70.7¢ Base Price, Federal Excise 10.0¢, GST 5%, Carbon Tax 4.49¢/litre, Provincial Gas tax 13.0¢/litre

BC: 70.7¢ Base Price, Federal Excise 10.0¢, GST 5%, Carbon Tax 6.67¢/litre, Provincial Gas Tax 14.5¢/litre

So the question is since carbon taxes are such small amount of the price of gasoline how could they have such a negative economic impact as some people are claiming?

Any equal to the carbon tax market price rise in the price of gasoline should have the same impact correct?

Check out historical gas prices in Ontario. In early 2014, gas in Ontario was a 1.40 per litre
http://www.ontariogasprices.com/retail_price_chart.aspx

At a 1.40 per litre the impact should have been substantially more than any current or proposed carbon tax.

Why is there, or why was there such a muted response to market increases in gas prices and existing gas taxes, but extreme outrage by a few to a much smaller carbon tax?

I can explain it. Pure politics! Plain and simple!

[blackpowder]

You really should sell crop inputs chuck. "It's only a couple bucks an acre!".

[blackpowder]

I'm wondering if chuck2 is trying to boil the frog or is he already cooked?

[Oliver88]

Do the math again with $50/tonne carbon tax level.
The $20/tonne rate is just a teaser to get used to be taxed on carbon.

[furrowtickler]

Chuck - just going to throw this game it there .
Wage $100,000
Cost of living $50,000
Tax's $40,000
Add anouther 5% tax..... don't leave you with much eh ??

[chuckChuck]

Chuck - just going to throw this game it there .
Wage $100,000
Cost of living $50,000
Tax's $40,000
Add anouther 5% tax..... don't leave you with much eh ??

So to pay $5000 in additional carbon tax you would have burn around 100,000 L of gas or equivalent in all other energy sources plus passed on cost increases minus any rebates. Do you know any families ( not businesses) who personally burn 100,000 L of gas? I doubt it.

[chuckChuck]

So if gas taxes currently average 38% of retail gas prices why are you so focussed on the 5% as the deal breaker that ruins the economy, causes undue hardship and makes us less competitive? I do understand you probably don't believe in climate change or the need to reduce carbon emissions, but the tax load on everyone from all other gas taxes makes a carbon tax look insignificant by comparisons.

That is why I say that this is mainly about politics and less about the potential negative impact. Although there will be some negative impacts. But not the catastrophe predicted on agriville.

[furrowtickler]

That 5% will be the tax paid on every single item and service that goes through your hands .
Do you seriously not get that this tax is being payed foreward on everything ??

[furrowtickler]

Do you seriously think the carbon tax is only going to apply to fuel we purchase?
It will be charged on everything - even after your dead - remember the cremation carbon tax ? You have just commented on it

[chuckChuck]

Furrow I know it will be charged on everything but some things will have little impact because they are not using much energy relatively speaking. Transportation yes. Accounting services very little for example. Your blanket statements don't make sense. The additional cost for cremation was $10 on a very energy intensive process. Is that a deal breaker! I do t think so.

[chuckChuck]

Chucky ! The accountant is going to charge more because it is going to cost more to drive his kids to hockey or skiing in Banff !

So is 5 cents a litre that the accountant pays for personal fuel going to make any significant impact on your accounting bill when he charges $ 200- $300 per hour? And to get back to my original position the average tax value is already 38%.

[crusher]

We're back drying now that its warmed up. Had a propane fill yesterday. $100 carbon tax. Nice. Added 10% to the bill. Chuckchuck - that is significant to me.

[furrowtickler]

Like I said , be prepared to take 5-10%
off your gross income before this tax was in place . That could be 20-30%
of your net income .

[GDR]

It's ok to have different opinions but come on its simple basic economics. I don't get how some people just can't grasp concepts especially someone that I assume is a farmer (aka business man).

It ain't gonna work any better to discourage oil use than sin taxes on booze or smokes does. Only difference is this one applies to things we can't yet do without like heat, food and transportation.

The real crappy part here is I think we are stuck with it even with a political change. No government will roll back easy money once it's in the kitty.

Guessing Chucky has already cashed his first rebate check, no possible other explanation here.

[furrowtickler]

That's the two big problems I have ..
1. This tax will do nothing to change climate
2. We will be taxed on everything , not just fuel