This is Vanese Ferguson with Coffee Talk.  According to the Angus Reid Institute, concern over cost of living has reached a three-year high in lower-income households amid gas price spikes. They note that the war in Iran has wiped out positive momentum on inflation in Canada, driving up the price of gas more than 20 per cent in less than a month. In their latest survey the Institute notes that Canadians in lower income households have always expressed higher concern than others about the rising cost of living. But they have never selected it at as high a rate as they do currently. Approaching seven-in-10 in households earning less than $50,000 annually say it is the top issue facing the country. I do believe the provincial government should, if not get rid of the gas tax temporarily in its entirety, then they certainly should at least cut it in half. I mean provincial coffers are benefitting off the oil and gas industry with the uptick in prices due to the war in Iran. I think Alberta’s approach is brilliant. How it works there is:
Fuel tax rates for gasoline and diesel are adjusted quarterly (January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1) based on the average price* of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil: The fuel tax will be suspended whenever prices are at or above $90. A partial fuel tax of 4.5 cents per litre will be applied whenever prices are $85 to $89.99.
A partial fuel tax of 9 cents per litre will be applied whenever prices are $80 to $84.99. The fuel tax will be fully reinstated whenever prices fall below $80. But I suspect the price of West Texas Intermediate has been factored into the recent provincial budget with its ballooning deficit. We can always hope the premier and company hears what people are saying.