B.C. United promises carbon tax relief if it wins 2024 provincial election

British Columbia's Opposition leader is promising toimmediately cut the provincial carbon tax on all fuels and stop planned future increases if elected to form government next year.

B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon says his party would give motoristsa break by eliminating the provincial fuel taxcurrently about15 cents per litre on gasoline and diesel and remove the carbon taxon all home-heating fuels.

The B.C. United position comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a temporary exemption for the federal carbon tax on homeheating oil that doesn't apply to B.C. because the province has its own carbon tax.

Falcon says B.C. United would also lower grocery costs by removingthe carbon tax on farmfuel, reducing operational costs for farmers.

He estimates his proposed cuts would have an impact on provincial revenues of almost $5 billion over three years, which is about twoper cent of the B.C. budget.

During question period in the legislature, Premier David Ebycalled Falcon a "weather vane,'' for changing his previous carbon tax support in favour of shifting federal political winds.

B.C. United, formerly the B.C. Liberals,introduced the B.C. carbon tax in 2008 under then-premier Gordon Campbell.

The purpose of the program is to puta price on carbon pollution to disincentivize the burning of fossil fuels and encourage the uptake of alternative, less pollutingenergy sources.

Fossil fuels coal, oil and gas are by farthe largest contributors to global climate change, according to the United Nations.