Ford takes aim at former Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie during press conference on carbon tax

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Published February 13, 2024 at 10:31 am

ford carbon tax ontario

The Ontario government plans to “fight back” by giving residents a chance to veto any new carbon tax.

At a press conference at a gas station in Mississauga today (Feb. 13) Premier Doug Ford announced he is fighting any future carbon tax.

The province will introduce legislation that, if passed, would give Ontario voters a direct say over a new provincial carbon tax, cap-and-trade system or other carbon pricing program.

This government or any future governments would first need to obtain the consent of Ontario voters through a referendum before implementing a new provincial carbon pricing program.

Ford indicated these types of schemes are tax grabs.

“It’s the worst tax ever,” Ford said. “This tax, all carbon tax schemes, they’re awful. They take money out of the people’s pockets, they raise prices at the gas pump. They increase the cost of groceries and your home heating bills. They increase the cost of absolutely everything.”

Ford also took the opportunity to take aim at former Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie, who is now the leader of the provincial Liberal Party.

He said Crombie supported carbon taxes in the past.

“She’s the queen of carbon tax,” Ford said.

When asked if he felt threatened by Crombie’s leadership campaign, Ford said again she supported carbon taxes and while she was mayor, the City of Mississauga taxes increased each year.

Crombie shot back in a post on X shortly after the press conference.

“Desperate Doug is trying to distract Ontario citizens from his failures, flip-flops and scandals. If he was actually interested in hearing from Ontarians, he would have held a referendum before selling off our healthcare system, the Greenbelt, and ServiceOntario,” Crombie wrote.

Concerns for climate change are growing as temperature records are broken but Ford indicated his government continues to support green initiatives.

“I’m a strong believer in protecting the environment by investing in clean green steel, by building the electric vehicles of the future, by leading the largest transit expansion in North America, by building the future of clean nuclear energy, by expanding provincial parks, not by taxing hardworking people,” Ford said.

Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario minister of finance, said these are “uncertain economic times” and this measure is a way to fight unaffordability and inflation.

“Any new provincial carbon tax is unacceptable for Ontario residents who are seeing their hard-earned dollars stretched further than ever,” Bethlenfalvy said.

This measure is part of upcoming legislation, dubbed the Get It Done Act, that will kick off the spring sitting of the legislature on Feb. 20.

For more see the full press conference here.

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