Not only do drivers in Metro Vancouver pay the highest for gas, they continue to pay the highest tax on that gas in the country.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 according to a report released Thursday by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for its 20th annual Gas Tax Honesty Day, amid prices at the pump hitting 160.9 a litre and higher in Vancouver.

Drivers in Metro Vancouver and Victoria pay about 51 cents and 45 cents, respectively, in taxes per litre of gas. ThatB次元官网网址檚 due to an additional transit tax, used to support transit projects and services in those regions.

In the rest of B.C., commuters pay 38 cents in taxes per litre, because of the federal excise tax, a provincial excise tax, a carbon tax and GST.

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B次元官网网址淏.C. drivers depend on their cars and trucks every day to get to work and to fuel their busy lives. The government needs to slash these punishing taxes to make life more affordable,B次元官网网址� said Kris Sims, the federationB次元官网网址檚 B.C. director.

B次元官网网址淕overnments are using gas stations like bank machines, soaking drivers for tax dollars every time they fuel up B次元官网网址� they need to stop it.B次元官网网址�

Manitoba and Saskatchewan have the lowest gas prices because they have the lowest gas taxes, the report said.

B次元官网网址淥n average, 33 per cent of the price at the pump in gas taxes,B次元官网网址� said federal director Aaron Wudrick.

That means an average fill-up of 64 litres includes $28.61 in taxes and $2.12 of tax-on-tax.

If the federal government continues with its carbon taxes, which are placed on gas to encourage drivers to emit less either by driving less or switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicles, the report said, things will only get worse for commutersB次元官网网址� pocket books.

B次元官网网址淚n fact, if existing taxes on gasoline were simply labelled as B次元官网网址榗arbon taxesB次元官网网址� they would already be at an average of $192 per tonne,B次元官网网址� Wudrick said.

The federal Gas Tax Fund is a permanent source of funding provided up front, twice a year, to provinces and territories, who in turn flow the money to municipalities for infrastructure projects.

From public waste projects to tourism or water filtration systems, about $2 billion is dispersed each year to 3,600 communities across Canada.

But Wudrick argued something needs to let up, especially with gas prices hitting historic highs.

B次元官网网址淐anadians need relief, and eliminating the federal excise tax is an immediate way to help ease that burden.B次元官网网址�

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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