The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the Quebec government to follow the lead of certain provinces and temporarily lower its fuel tax.
The organization that fights for lower taxes made public its 26e annual report on “tax transparency at the pump”.
According to its ranking, Quebec ranks fifth among Canadian provinces in terms of gasoline prices, with an average price of $1.75 per litre. First place is occupied by Newfoundland and Labrador ($1.86).
As for the tax portion, it represents 38% of the total bill at the pump in Quebec, according to FCC calculations. This proportion includes the various provincial and federal taxes. La Belle Province thus comes in third place, behind Nova Scotia and British Columbia (excluding Vancouver and Victoria), whose tax portion is each 40%.
The CAQ government showed openness by announcing in the spring its intention to abolish the floor price on gasoline, believes the director for Quebec at the FCC, Nicolas Gagnon.
“The government of François Legault recognizes that the price is essentially too high on gasoline,” said Mr. Gagnon at a press conference in front of a gas station on Maisonneuve Street East in Montreal.
He asks Quebec to continue its efforts and to draw inspiration from its Canadian neighbours in order to ease the financial burden on Quebec motorists in the current economic context.
“We know that in other provinces, notably Manitoba, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, the premiers have offered breaks on gasoline. […] “That’s hundreds of dollars saved simply by reducing provincial gasoline taxes by a few cents,” said Mr. Gagnon.
The Quebec representative of the FCC would like the government to reduce its fuel tax by about half for a period of a few months. It amounts to 19.2 cents/litre.