Ontario fudging cost of cap and trade

It would be hard to imagine a less transparent form of carbon pricing than the one Premier Kathleen Wynne is about to inflict on Ontarians, starting Sunday, Jan. 1.

The Wynne Liberals are imposing a cap and trade scheme that, by the estimate of the provincial auditor general, will increase government revenues, paid for by the public, by $2 billion annually.

And yet no one has any idea of what the total impact on Ontarians will be.

Months ago, the Wynne government estimated the impact of cap and trade on the cost of home heating fuel (natural gas) for the average Ontario household would be $5 more per month.

Now, the Ontario Energy Board says it will be up to $6.70 per month and no less than $5.68.

But we won’t know the actual price increases month-to-month — which will fluctuate because cap-and-trade is essentially a stock market trading in carbon credits — because it won’t be included as a separate line in people’s home heating bills.

Plus, it’s not just homeowners who use natural gas for heat, so do businesses.

Is the Wynne government claiming they won’t pass along their increased costs for natural gas to consumers in the form of higher retail prices?

Ditto the government’s estimate cap and trade will increase the cost of gasoline 4.3-cents per litre, or $8 per month, for the average Ontario household.

How do we know that’s accurate, given that gas prices fluctuate almost daily for many reasons?

Plus, gasoline isn’t just used by people driving personal vehicles, it’s used by businesses to transport goods and services.

Is the Wynne government saying these businesses won’t pass along their increased costs for gasoline to consumers, in the form of higher retail prices?

The government is also giving out free carbon credits — essentially free money in a cap and trade stock market — to a wide variety of major corporate emitters of greenhouse gases.

What measures does the Wynne government have in place to assure Ontarians companies receiving these free credits won’t up their retail prices as if they had paid for them, which has happened elsewhere?

When will the Liberals tell Ontarians the real costs of cap and trade?
TORONTOSUN.COM