PEMBROKE – The Ontario Government is fighting against the federal carbon tax and the financial burden it will place on the seniors of this province.
Raymond Cho, Minister of Minister of Seniors and Accessibility and Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks recently spoke about the increased cost of living due to the imposition of the federal carbon tax.
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski also has a concern for seniors.
“The carbon tax will have a direct impact on the seniors in my riding and make life more unaffordable,” he said. “The costs of home heating, fuel and groceries are all going to increase, leaving less money in the pockets of seniors and their families.”
The Financial Accountability Office has confirmed the Federal Carbon Tax will cost the average Ontario household $648 a year by 2022. For seniors on a fixed budget, every dollar counts. That’s why Ontario’s Government for the People is standing up for seniors to protect them against unnecessary costs.
“Many seniors already live on a fixed income,” MPP Cho said. “We want to help seniors live active and engaged lives in their communities. Taking more money from their pockets will significantly impact their daily budgets.”
Ontario seniors have worked hard for decades contributing to their province and deserve to enjoy a healthy and comfortable lifestyle, said MPP Phillips. The government is concerned that pressures caused by the federal carbon tax will have a negative impact on the quality of life our seniors enjoy.
“We’ve brought forward a Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan that commits to reducing emissions without imposing a burdensome tax on Ontario’s most vulnerable,” he said. “Our plan will reduce emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, a target that meets our share of the federal government’s Paris commitments.”
This event is part of a series of similar conversations underway across the province, MPP Yakabuski said. Premier Doug Ford and his ministers are travelling across Ontario to talk with families, small business owners and communities about how the federal carbon tax will make life more unaffordable, while putting the province’s economy at risk.
“A carbon tax is not the only way to fight climate change,” he said. “Under Ontario’s plan, the government will continue to do our share to protect and preserve our environment for future generations without the imposition of a carbon tax or otherwise making life unaffordable for Ontario’s seniors.”
