COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Conservatives call for zero tax on gas for 2026

For many Canadians, gathering with family and friends this past Easter weekend brought a mix of joy, and sadly some financial strain. While Christians reflected on the hope of the resurrection, and many Manitobans enjoyed laughter, meals, and Easter traditions. Thoughts of rising costs were not far from mind.

Preparing holiday meals cost more. Driving to see loved ones cost more. Even creating memories through the tradition of Easter egg hunts, family food specialties and chocolate bunnies is harder for families to afford. The numbers tell the story. An average family is predicted to spend $17,571 on groceries this year. That’s a big chunk out of most family budgets!

Several factors have contributed to Canada becoming the food inflation capital of the G7. Mr. Carney is doubling the debt, with $90 billion in net new spending, causing Canada to pay more to carry the interest on that debt than we spend for health care.

Conservatives have continued proposing solutions because we see how Canadians are struggling. While global events like the war in Iran can amplify costs in our supply chain, we can advance change for Canadians. Eliminating federal taxes on diesel would lower the cost of transporting goods across the country, reducing prices on everything delivered by truck — from groceries to homebuilding materials.

Lower transportation costs would help make housing, food, and fuel more affordable while enabling businesses to ship more products, grow operations, and create jobs. Rising gas prices are evident. On April 1, Americans were paying $1.50 (Canadian) a litre for gas while Canadians paid $1.78—almost 20 percent more.

That gap is why Conservatives are calling for a zero federal tax on gas and diesel for the rest of 2026. The plan would eliminate the fuel excise tax (10 cents-a-litre), the clean fuel standard (seven cents), and the GST (eight cents) to save Canadians 25 cents-a-litre. It would also remove the excise tax and GST until the end of the calendar year and eliminate the fuel standard tax permanently. Conservatives have also repeatedly pledged to eliminate the industrial carbon tax.

Pierre Poilievre summarized his intent by stating that “Canadians deserve affordable fuel and food. Seniors should be able to enjoy a worry-free drive to see grandkids, parents should not stress about filling the minivan for hockey practice and workers should be able to fill their trucks stress-free. That is why Conservatives call for zero tax on gas the rest of the year.”

While many Canadians believed the consumer carbon tax had been eliminated following the election, it was instead renamed as the fuel standard tax. When Conservatives pledged to remove the carbon tax, that commitment included the industrial carbon tax as well. However, under this Liberal government, the industrial carbon tax has also continued to increase.

Other countries such as Australia, Spain and Ireland have taken steps to ease costs for consumers. Conservatives are proposing a similar path by suspending all federal fuel taxes until the end of this calendar year—a move that would save a Canadian family approximately $20 on a typical minivan fill-up. Mr. Poilievre explained, “While other countries scrap taxes on gas and diesel to lower the cost at the pump, Carney is raising them at exactly the worst time. Conservatives would eliminate all taxes on gas and diesel until the end of the year to restore an affordable life for Canadians.”

Unlike other countries that have taken steps to lower fuel costs, Canada is doing the opposite. According to the parliamentary budget officer, using data from Environment and Climate Change Canada, the clean fuel regulations add seven cents per litre this year, with the cost rising to 17 cents per litre by 2030. That’s on top of the industrial carbon tax, which will rise to $170 a tonne and is projected to shrink the economy by 1.3 percent and lead to 50,000 job losses.

Providing relief at the gas pump is achievable. The federal government has the ability to deliver meaningful savings to Canadians, but doing so requires responsible fiscal choices. Conservatives have proposed a “dollar-for-dollar” principle, ensuring that tax relief is matched by reductions in unnecessary government spending. By targeting wasteful expenditures, real affordability measures can be implemented without increasing the deficit.

If the Conservative plan” zero tax on gas” is implemented, it would save Canadians $5.25 billion.

Let’s do what’s right for Canadians!