carbon tax toronto

Ontario government forcing gas stations to display new carbon tax stickers

Gas stations across Ontario might face thousands of dollars in fines, thanks to a new law from the provincial government that says operators must now display special stickers on all of their gas pumps.

Doug Ford's 2019 Ontario budget unveiled a bunch of new regulations last week, including a new law called the Federal Carbon Tax Transparency Act.

The law makes it legally required for all gas stations to slap on government-issued stickers saying that, due to the federal carbon tax, gas prices are up by 4.4 cents per litre, and will be up by 11 cents a litre in 2022. 

If they don't comply, independent owners could be fined up to $500 per day, and even up to $1,000 per day for any offence that continues after a certain time. Corporate-owned stations would pay much more than that, with fines reaching up to $10,000 a day. 

Government inspectors will also be sent to gas stations province-wide to make sure operators are displaying the stickers properly. Anyone obstructing an officer could get fined between $500 to $10,000.

It doesn't look like the rule is holding over well with many Ontarians, who seem to be more interested in slapping pro-carbon tax stickers on to their own vehicles instead.

The Ford government is strongly opposed to what it calls a federal "job-killing" carbon tax, which was introduced in Ontario on April 1, and is actually in court today to challenge the tax.

In response, Torontonians with signs gathered at City Hall and walked to Osgoode Hall to fight the Province's carbon tax appeal.

"The government intends to use every tool at its disposal to fight the carbon tax," said the Province in its recent budget. 

What the Province's new stickers don't mention, however, is the carbon tax rebate that will return $307 to most Ontario households. Someone made new stickers to better reflect that information.

Environmentalists and policy critics have called out the Federal Carbon Tax Transparency Act as "partisan advertising" and "propaganda." 

Lead photo by

Greg Rickford


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