Unscientific poll shows Windsorites are split over carbon tax

An unscientific poll indicates Windsorites believe Canada should be doing more to reduce carbon emissions, but almost half of those polled do not support the carbon tax.

The carbon tax is a fee imposed on each tonne of emissions from fossil fuels. The federal government began enforcing the carbon tax April 1 in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick–provinces that did not adopt their own carbon pricing measures. The progressive conservatives were pitted against Ottawa in the Ontario Court of Appeal on April 15 arguing the carbon tax is unconstitutional.

Over half of the survey respondents said the carbon tax incentivized them to change their behaviour to reduce their carbon footprint.

Windsor resident Kamran Ehsan, 24, said he would alter his behaviour if it was possible, but said Windsor lacks accessible alternatives including an efficient bus network and safe bikes lanes making it far too inconvenient.

“I tried for six years to get by just by biking and using the bus, but the city’s transport system is abysmal and things are located too far apart to safely and efficiently bike everywhere,” said Ehsan. “With the way things are, it’s practically essential to have a car if you want to get to any part of the city in a reasonable and cost effective manner.”

Ontario Premiere Doug Ford has been an opponent of the carbon tax and said he believes the carbon tax runs the risk of triggering a recession. The Ford government decided to scrap the province’s cap and trade system in July 2018.

The federal tax prices carbon at $20 a tonne, or 4.4 cents a litre of gasoline, and will rise to $50 a tonne by 2020. According to the federal government, the average Ontario household will pay $244 in direct and indirect costs for carbon, but will receive a $300 rebate.

Despite their opinion of the carbon tax, almost all individuals polled said they would like to see the money collected by the carbon tax reinvested into developing cleaner energy and transportation infrastructure in Windsor.

Anthony Spanic, 24, a mechanical engineer in Windsor, said he wishes the government would have taken a more pragmatic approach.

“The tax dollars should be reinvested into the research of sustainable energy methods,” said Spanic. “CO2 conversion and novel infrastructure ideas should be explored in order to reduce automobile use and make alternative means of transportation more accessible in the city.”

Windsor Transit is undergoing a $350,000 yearlong review to phase in improvements to its route system so people can get to their destinations faster. The last review of the transit system in Windsor occurred in 2007.

A bike sharing pilot program is expected to be rolled out in Windsor sometime in 2020. The project will include 450 bicycles positioned across a 22-kilometre expanse of the city.

As more alternative options become available, perhaps the incentive for Windsorites to avoid carbon-emitting transportation will grow stronger.