VANCOUVER - The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says B.C.'s carbon tax should be scrapped because it hasn't accomplished its environmental goals, is costing people too much and is hurting the province's competitiveness.
The federation makes its argument in a submission to a panel set up earlier this year by the provincial government to review the tax.
The tax adds about seven cents to a litre of gasoline and when it was imposed by the Liberal government in 2008 it was billed as revenue neutral.
But the Taxpayers Federation says the income tax cut only covers $228 million of the $1.2 billion the carbon tax rakes in every year, and average taxpayers can't get other tax breaks like venture capital or industrial property credits.
Environment Minister Terry Lake has argued the carbon tax has helped the province become a leader in environmental technologies and more motorists are embracing hybrid or electric vehicles.
The tax is part of the province's effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions by one third by 2020.
