APTA blasts New Brunswick diesel tax increase

by Truck News

DIEPPE, N.B. — Truckers in New Brunswick, who already pay among the highest diesel taxes in Canada, will have to shell out even more.

The provincial budget released yesterday included a hike in diesel taxes, which will generate $28 million in additional revenue. The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) reacted angrily today.

“Aside from British Columbia, we have the highest diesel tax in the country, and it will have a devastating impact on every consumer as they will pay more for their goods going forward,” said APTA executive director Jean-Marc Picard.

He suggested the province is looking to take advantage of the drop in diesel prices by increasing taxes.

“This actually puts our industry at a competitive disadvantage to carriers from other provinces and this will change the landscape of the trucking industry in New Brunswick,” Picard said. “This tax increase will generate $28 million in revenues; although the impacts on our industry will be even greater than that, which will affect the overall economy. Year after year, the trucking industry is creating jobs in this province but today companies might have to look at slashing jobs as it is becoming very expensive to run a trucking company in this province.”

Picard said he’d prefer to see the provincial government cut costs than hike up fees. The fuel tax will go up 2.3 cents per litre today.


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