Trudeau Government Considering Truck Tax
According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the federal government is considering a recommendation found in an Environment Canada report that could see the Green Levy Excise tax applied to light and heavy-duty trucks.
If the proposed plan moves forward, the Green Levy Excise Tax would be removed for both light and heavy-duty trucks. Currently, the tax only applies to SUVs or passenger vans. If an SUV uses more than 13 litres per 100 km, the tax is $1,000 and increases in $1,000 increments for each litre more, capping at $4,000 for 16 litres and over.
Light-duty pickups such as Ford F-150s, Toyota Tacomas, Chevrolet Silverados and Ram 1500s would get a $1,000 tax. Meanwhile, heavy-duty trucks, like the Ram 3500, would be $4,000.
“It’s pretty tough to stuff plywood into a Prius or pull a horse trailer with a Tesla, so the Trudeau government needs to reject any recommendation to tax trucks that millions of Canadians depend on for their livelihoods,” said Kris Sims, B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Federal environment minister Steven Guilbeault writes, “this is our ambitious and achievable roadmap,” in the report.
“Consider adopting an approach that combines financial incentives for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles with fees for the purchase of fuel-inefficient internal combustion engine vehicles. Broaden Canada’s existing Green Levy (Excise Tax) for Fuel Inefficient Vehicles to include additional ICE vehicle types, such as pickup trucks,” stated the report. Responding to criticism on Twitter, Guilbeault stated, “this so-called fee on trucks doesn’t exist. It’s fear-mongering, plain and simple.” He also adds that at this point that it’s a recommendation and not a government policy.
“If the minister wants to clarify and categorically reject a new tax on trucks, he should go ahead and do so, but this recommendation for a truck tax is in his ministry’s report in black-and-white, and Canadians have every right to be concerned about it,” said Sims.
