Ford Calls on Ontario Liberal MPs to Demand Carbon Tax Cut on Natural Gas

Ontario Premier Doug Ford delivers remarks at Lakeshore Collegiate Institute in Toronto, on Aug. 31, 2023. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby

Premier Doug Ford is calling on Ontario Liberal caucus members to “advocate” for their constituents by demanding the federal carbon tax be removed from natural gas.

“Last week, a federal minister said that provinces should elect more Liberal members if they want breaks on their home heating bills,” Mr. Ford said in a Nov. 3 social media post, referring to comments made by Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings.

“With nearly half of the Liberal caucus being from Ontario, it’s time for these members to advocate for the families they’re elected to represent,” Mr. Ford said.

Ms. Hutchings, during an Oct. 28 appearance on CTV News, said the Atlantic caucus was “vocal with what they’ve heard from their constituents.” She said Prairies “need to elect more Liberals... so that we can have that conversation as well.”

Mr. Ford’s call for “fair treatment” comes after the Trudeau government paused the carbon tax on home heating oil, a move which largely benefits Atlantic Canada where 30 percent of homeowners still use the oil to heat their homes.

The prime minister has described the three-year exemption as a grace period to give Canadians time to switch to electric heat pumps.

Mr. Ford, in an open letter to Ontario Liberal caucus chairman James Maloney, urged the government to scrap the tax on natural gas for home heating in Ontario and across Canada, calling it the “only fair thing to do.”

“You need to go further, do the right thing, and remove the federal tax from natural gas on home heating,” he said, adding that 97.5 percent of Ontario residents don’t use home heating oil and, therefore, don’t benefit from the government’s exemption. “These families also deserve a break.”

Saskatchewan and Alberta

Mr. Ford’s letter comes a day after Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his government would stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas beginning Jan. 1.

“SaskEnergy will ‘absolutely not’ be collecting and submitting carbon tax on natural gas, starting January 1st,” Mr. Moe wrote in a Nov. 2 social media post.

Mr. Moe’s post came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would not expand the three-year carbon tax exemption on furnace oil to other heating sources. Mr. Trudeau made the announcement after Mr. Moe called on the federal Liberals to also pause the tax on natural gas, which is used in most Saskatchewan homes.

“There will absolutely not be any other carve-outs or suspensions of the price on pollution,” Mr. Trudeau told reporters on Oct. 31. “This is designed to phase out heating oil.”

Mr. Moe, in his post, said the prime minister’s decision is “absolutely not about fairness for Canadian families,” adding that “this is absolutely not the way to run a country.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has also called for an end to the carbon tax.

She said the federal government “has decided that one area of Canada using one type of home heating is worthy of a carbon tax break,” while those living elsewhere using other types of heating are not.

“After telling Canadians for years that rebates covered the costs of the carbon tax for every day consumers, the Feds now admit with this one-region-one-fuel-type-only tax break, this claim is not true,” Ms. Smith said on social media.

She said Ms. Hutchings’ comments show that the tax is “punishment for not voting Liberal.”

“There are no words to describe how absurd and damaging this is to our confederation,” added Ms. Smith.

Carbon Tax Vote

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said his party was putting forward a motion to extend the carbon tax exemption on all types of home heating for “all Canadians.”

“I am announcing today that the common-sense Conservatives have put forward a motion in the House of Commons, extending the pause on home heating to all Canadians everywhere,” Mr. Poilievre said in a speech to his caucus in Ottawa on Nov. 1.

It’s expected that the motion will be voted on next week. If successful, it will freeze the carbon tax on all forms of home heating until the next federal election.