Pierre Poilievre, Jason Kenney alleged ‘truck tax’ was imminent in recent tweets
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said the Conservatives are lying about a secret government plan to add a green tax to pickup trucks.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney followed suit Thursday tweeting that “the Liberal-NDP coalition is planning a punishing tax on working people for buying pickup trucks.” A rebate for more fuel-efficient vehicles brought in at the same time only lasted two years, but the green levy is still in effect. In their 2007 budget the Conservatives predicted the levy would bring in $215 million in the first two years but has not come anywhere close to that, averaging about $15 million a year in revenues. Over 14 years the total revenue from the green levy is $220 million, including less than $4 million in 2020-21.Guilbeault said the Liberals are not proposing to extend it to trucks regardless of the Conservative accusations.
The ask to expand the green levy to pickups is one of 40 recommendations in its submission on the government’s new emissions reduction plan. “We felt was quite balanced advice and actually, we’re a bit disappointed when people misrepresent it,” he said.