Opposition Passes Motion Calling on Trudeau to Meet Premiers Over Carbon Tax Hike

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 10, 2024. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

A Tory motion asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet provincial leaders to discuss the April 1 carbon tax hike has passed with support from the NDP and Bloc Québécois.

The Conservatives tabled the motion on April 9, and it was approved the next day 173 to 150.

The non-binding motion asks Mr. Trudeau to meet with the premiers within five weeks to discuss the 23 percent carbon tax increase. It says the discussion should include plans for the provinces to opt out of the federal carbon tax and “pursue other reasonable ideas to lower emissions.”

The prime minister has received written requests for a meeting about the carbon tax from Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. He said the provinces were given a say during a 2016 meeting.

Carbon Tax Hike

A carbon tax hike on April 1 from $65 per tonne to $80 per tonne has put a further pinch on consumers, according to the Conservatives, and will continue to increase by $15 a year until $170 per tonne in 2030.

Mr. Trudeau’s government denies the tax hurts Canadians financially, saying carbon tax rebates put money back in the pockets of most Canadians.

The prime minister said in a letter that he believes premiers would rather “make political hay” out of the carbon pricing program than present an alternative to target greenhouse gas emissions.

However, Conservatives dispute the carbon tax rebates offset the cost for Canadians, citing a 2023 Parliamentary Budget Officer report saying households would see a net loss from $311 to $911 in 2024–2025, even after rebates were issued.

Protests were held across the country on April 1 by Canadians who say the tax is making life more unaffordable.

Carbon Tax Pressure

Mr. Trudeau has been under pressure over the carbon tax since allowing a pause on the tax for home heating oil—a move that largely benefits Atlantic Canada, where 30 percent of households use it.

Several provinces have called on Ottawa to pause the tax on all forms of home heating.

However, Mr. Trudeau said there would be no further carveouts.

On Jan. 1, Saskatchewan stopped collecting the carbon tax on home-heating natural gas and has since decided not to remit it to the federal government.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said that Mr. Trudeau will lose the next federal election if he doesn’t reconsider carbon tax hikes.

“This carbon tax has to go or, in a year and a half, the prime minister is going. It’s as simple as that,” Mr. Ford told reporters during an April 2 press conference.

Chris Tomlinson and Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.