Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Canadians reject Carney’s September gas tax hike

A new national poll suggests Prime Minister Mark Carney may have an uphill battle if he follows through on plans to restore higher federal fuel taxes next month.

Leger polling released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) found that 63 percent of Canadians oppose the federal government’s planned fuel tax increase, which is set to take effect on Sept. 8 when Ottawa’s temporary fuel tax suspension expires.

The federal levy is scheduled to increase by 10 cents per litre on gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel.

The survey found opposition cuts across every major demographic, including every age group, gender and province. Women, Canadians aged 55 and older, and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba were the most likely to oppose the increase.

Among respondents, 43 percent said they strongly oppose the tax hike, while another 20 percent somewhat oppose it. Seventeen percent somewhat support the increase, eight percent strongly support it, and 11 percent remain undecided. Excluding those who were unsure, 71 percent opposed the planned increase.

“The poll shows Canadians in every demographic oppose Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to crank federal gas taxes back up next month,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano. “Carney needs to listen to Canadians and confirm that he will not be hiking gas taxes in September.”

Terrazzano said restoring the fuel tax would increase costs well beyond the gas pump, as transportation expenses ripple through the economy and raise the price of goods delivered by truck.

“Carney needs to permanently cut the gas tax because Canadians can’t afford to pay more to fuel up their vehicles and also pay higher prices for everything that is trucked to store shelves,” he said. “Cutting taxes makes life more affordable, and the government needs to cut spending so it can provide permanent relief without ballooning the debt.”

Drivers already pay a combination of federal and provincial fuel taxes, along with carbon-related fuel charges and transit levies in some jurisdictions. According to the CTF’s Gas Tax Honesty Report, taxes can account for as much as 35 percent of the price Canadians pay at the pump.