Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre intends to one-up Prime Minister Mark Carney by scrapping the industrial carbon tax, according to a Monday morning announcement.

“Today, I’m announcing that a common sense ‘Canada First’ Conservative government will repeal the entire carbon tax, including the federal backstop that requires provinces to impose industrial taxes,” Poilievre told reporters.

“There will be no taxes on consumers, [and] no taxes on Canadian industries.”

Carney rolled back the consumer carbon tax to a rate of zero, following his official swearing-in as Prime Minister last Friday. It excludes the industrial levy, which will ultimately pass on costs to consumers.

Poilievre calls out Carney for signing a "fake executive order" to hide the consumer carbon tax leading up to the election.

"It is still in place, and it applies across the board. The tax is scheduled to go up 300% over the next five years, and hiding it for a few weeks will not… pic.twitter.com/altsFSqW45

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) March 17, 2025

Poilievre, however, doesn’t buy the goods delivered by Carney, accusing the Prime Minister of planning to raise the carbon tax after the next election. Technically, he didn't remove the tax, but regulated the price to zero.

Passed in 2018, the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act outlined a planned levy hike every April 1st, at the start of each budget year until 2030. 

“This law is still in place even though Mr. Carney signed a ‘fake executive order’ to hide the tax leading up to the election,” the Tory MP told voters, having centred his attacks on the Liberal government around repealing the law for years.

Carney's promise to "axe the tax" echoes Poilievre's two-year campaign against the consumer carbon tax, which he blames for increased food and fuel costs.

“Money and jobs would leave Canada, making us even more dependent on the Americans just like Trump wants,” Poilievre said.

The fuel charge on a litre of gasoline was slated to increase from 17.61 cents now to 20.91 cents. Natural gas (18 cents), diesel and home heating oil (25 cents) would have also faced price hikes.

Mark Carney blames Canadians for not understanding the "positive impacts" of the carbon tax, saying this has made it a "divisive issue" and accuses Pierre Poilievre of spreading "misinformation and lies" about the Liberals' flagship policy.https://t.co/Dex0gKlx3T pic.twitter.com/BxBqAazyrn

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 31, 2025

The Prime Minister backed the tax, initially, but changed course following his leadership bid, promising to eliminate it for families, farmers, and entrepreneurs. 

Carney earlier said Canadians misunderstand the levy’s benefits, while blaming Conservatives for “spreading misinformation”.

Meanwhile, the Official Opposition plans to expand clean tech manufacturing tax credits to reduce emissions and boost domestic industry, if they form government.

“Conservatives will use technology, not taxes, to protect our environment,” said Poilievre, in a video posted to social media, adding that “provinces will … have the freedom to address this issue how they like,” though clarifying there will be no federal obligation to impose the tax.

“We will also ‘axe the tax’ on steel, aluminum, natural gas, food production, concrete, and other industries. Technology, not taxes, is the best way to … protect our environment,” he reiterated.

Poilievre vowed to reward heavy industries who make products with lower emissions than the world average.

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