• Connect to CKNW
Related Links

Carbon tax going over like a lead balloon in rural BC
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980)
Shane Woodford | Email news tips to shane.woodford@corusent.com
10/11/2012

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is noting the Carbon tax seems to be more unpopular the further away you get from Metro Vancouver.

BC Director Jordan Bateman says the legislative committee charged with gathering input on next spring's budget seems to be getting an earful in rural BC.
 
"It is amazing you read the notes from people in Kelowna, Kamloops, Fort St John, Cranbrook, all over the province they are saying this is killing them business wise, killing them competitively, and hurting them just financially personally but meanhwile in Vancouver it was like sunshine and roses and the Carbon Tax was the greatest thing ever so complete disconnect between Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia on this."

Bateman however still advocates scrapping the tax instead of just adjusting it to meet the urban rural divide.

"The best thing to do is get rid of the carbon tax get rid of all the revenue neutrality tools except for the personal income tax cut that is about 228 million of the overall one point two billion dollar take but you see that percentage has shrunk when it was first brought out we used to get about 30-percent back in personal income tax now we get about 12 or 15 percent back in personal income tax cuts."

The Ministry of Finance is reviewing the Carbon tax after spending August gathering feedback.

The Ministry says the Carbon tax has led to significant business and income tax reductions.


 «  Return to previous page
 »  Send to a friend
Subscribe to channel

Leave a comment:

showing all comments · Subscribe to comments
Comment Like
  • 14
  1. AnneH_4 posted on 10/11/2012 11:59 PM
    Makes sense to get rid of the whole carbon tax. Think of the bureaucracy that will disappear

    And what did the tax actually accomplish? If it was to discourage people from driving see the article on the most congested cities in North America. Vancouver is second to Los Angeles
  2. Vancouver Sucks posted on 10/12/2012 12:48 AM
    The issue of carbon taxes have been debated world over and are generally concluded to be nothing more than tax grabs. They do NOTHING for the environment. nothing more than a scam. They should be canceled NOW! Funny how this article brings out how brainwashed people are in Vancouver compared to the rest of the province.
  3. mikem_6368 posted on 10/12/2012 04:25 AM
    Where are you going to get the money it brings in or what will you cut
  4. RegA [deleted] posted on 10/12/2012 06:16 AM
    Campbell said in all his wisdsom, the carbon tax is/will be revenue neutral. Campbell said it, so it must be true, but I didn't see my share of carbon tax sneak back in my pocket. Maybe the carbon tax fairy sneeks into my room, finds my jeans on the floor and replaces the carbon tax money I spent yesterday.
    Likely the same fairy that put nickels under my pillow 60 years ago. Me thinks B.C. has far too many fairies flitting around our lovely province.
  5. RickR_4 posted on 10/12/2012 08:09 AM
    The carbon tax has to go just as the Pacific Carbon Trust. Carbon taxes and offsets are simply a transfer of wealth from the majority of the population to very few elite. It does nothing for the environment because CO2 has nothing to do with global warming/climate change. CO2 is necessary for life to exist on earth. It makes up less than 4% of the gases in our atmosphere. Of that, less than 1% is generated by humans. The science behind man made climate change is complete junk. The UN Agenda 21 must be stopped.
    1. Techno posted on 10/12/2012 12:41 PM
      @RickR_4 Yes, CO2 is great if you are a tree. And where is the warming coming from then?
    2. SalV posted on 10/12/2012 02:59 PM
      @RickR_4 Must be frustrating to constantly prove the UN scientific committee wrong!
  6. Garp posted on 10/12/2012 09:03 AM
    Anyone who believes "Carbon Tax" to be anything other than a cash grab by a revenue hungry government, is living a dream - the money goes right into general revenue; no trust fund, no special environmental designation, or environmental studies. It's right up with the tax you pay when you purchase electronics, tires, or can of paint. More for general revenue!
    1. SalV posted on 10/12/2012 03:02 PM
      @Garp That's what I've been believing, so true!
  7. commonsense posted on 10/12/2012 12:03 PM
    Our highways are congested, no doubt about it. But, with having a carbon tax to encourage drivers to find alternatives, where were these drivers to begin with? City drivers? Rural drivers? What about the small towns with no or little transit? I'm all for a tax that forces new alternatives to people, but I want to know the facts and stats first.
    1. RickR_4 posted on 10/12/2012 12:55 PM
      @commonsense The new alternatives are not available yet. So taxing our current use of transportation does nothing but increase everyone's expense without changing their lifestyle. There needs to be a choice first before we are punished for the current option.
showing all comments