As citizens in the province of Ontario prepare for the April 1st implementation of a federally mandated carbon tax, a new survey shows that a majority of commuters in the Greater Toronto Area support the concept of putting a price on carbon.
The online survey was jointly conducted by advocacy group Canadians for Clean Prosperity and the University of Toronto’s Loewen Lab and focused on eliciting responses from individuals in key Ontario ridings surrounding the City of Toronto and Hamilton. The results were that carbon pricing is supported or accepted by 59% of Ontarians in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (excluding downtown Toronto), compared to 28% who oppose the policy and 13% who are undecided.
The results also revealed that when told that all the money from carbon pricing would go back to households and businesses, 48% of those opposing the policy switched their position to support or accept. When asked how their views would change if they received a rebate that exceeded their costs (as will be the case for an estimated 8 out of 10 Ontarians, according to the federal government), 60% of those who opposed switched their position to support or accept.
However, the poll also found that understanding about the rebate is low – just 41% of Ontarians in the surveyed area were aware of the federal government’s plan to rebate money to households and businesses. The federal government has said the average Ontario household will receive a rebate – called the Climate Action Incentive – of $307 through their income tax return this spring.
“It’s clear from this poll that most people in the commuter regions of Toronto and Hamilton are comfortable with carbon pricing, and even most people who oppose it change their minds once given basic details about how carbon pricing works. The carbon rebate is the key – it means Ontarians don’t have to choose between protecting the planet and protecting their pocketbook” said Michael Bernstein, Senior Vice President for Policy & Strategy at Clean Prosperity, “when told about the rebate, over 70% of respondents support or accept the policy. The bottom line is that carbon pricing with rebates is a fair, affordable and effective way to address the urgent challenge of climate change.”
Methodology: This poll was conducted in Ontario, excluding downtown Toronto, from January 31 to February 15, 2019 by the Loewen Lab at University of Toronto. 504 respondents were interviewed in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, balanced by age group and gender. The survey was presented online, using the Qualtrics platform. All results are weighted to represent the general population of Ontario, accounting for age group, gender, country of origin, and home ownership.
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