B.C. will scrap ‘consumer carbon tax’ if Ottawa drops federal backstop: Eby

BC NDP Leader David Eby stated that the province would eliminate its consumer carbon price if the federal government removes its legal requirement for provinces to implement one.

During a campaign event in Vancouver on Thursday, Eby made the announcement in response to a question from Global News. His remarks follow criticism from federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who argued that consumer carbon pricing unfairly impacts "working people" while allowing "big polluters" to avoid their share of the cost.

Eby acknowledged that B.C. had long supported carbon pricing, but recent federal decisions—such as "unsustainable hikes" and unequal treatment of provinces—had politicized the issue. He noted, “A lot of British Columbians are struggling with affordability, and the political consensus we had in B.C. has been badly damaged by the approach of the federal government."

“If the federal government decides to remove the legal backstop requiring us to have a consumer carbon tax in B.C., we will end the consumer carbon tax in B.C.,” Eby said. However, he emphasized that B.C. would ensure large polluters bear the cost, maintaining a focus on climate action while protecting people.

Eby clarified that the province’s carbon pricing would remain unchanged unless the federal backstop is lifted, adding that he still believes carbon pricing "can be an effective tool."

The topic of carbon pricing has become a contentious issue ahead of the upcoming B.C. election. BC Conservative Leader John Rustad pledged to end B.C.'s carbon pricing if elected but noted that this would only be possible if the federal Liberal government were voted out. Rustad said, “The way we are going to remove the carbon tax is an order in council the day the writ is dropped federally.”

B.C.’s carbon pricing system was first introduced in 2008 by the BC Liberal Party and increased to $80 per tonne in April 2024.