The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on both the federal and provincial governments to temporarily suspend fuel taxes due to the sharp rise in gasoline prices.
“Many Canadians were already struggling, and now that gasoline prices have risen so sharply, life has become even more expensive“, CTV quoted Franco Terrazzano, the head of the federation. “In such a situation, the government could temporarily suspend the collection of fuel taxes.“ Ideally, he added, such relief for Canadians could become permanent. According to the organization, in some regions of the country, federal and provincial taxes, which are included in the price of a liter of gasoline, could reach 65 cents.
According to official data, the price of a liter of the cheapest AI-87 gasoline in Canada in February started at 1.39 Canadian dollars. In March, its price rose to 1.78 Canadian dollars ($1.38) per liter, depending on the region.
The television channel cites the blockade of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as one of the main reasons for the price increase. However, the Canadian government has so far limited itself to statements that it is “monitoring the situation“.