BC United Commits To Removing Carbon Tax From Commercial Fishing Vessels And Harvesting Operations If Elected

BC United laying out more of its platform a couple months away from a provincial election.

The party says it would immediately remove the carbon tax from commercial fishing vessels and harvesting operations if elected, and reiterated its call to remove the carbon tax entirely when the federal government does.

Leader Kevin Falcon was in Comox on Friday.

Falcon said commercial fishers are struggling to make ends meet, and the Eby government’s carbon tax is “continuing to punish hardworking fishermen, which simply increases the cost of food for everyone.”

In a release, BC United says it will support fishing and harvesting by immediately removing the carbon tax from commercial fishing vessels and harvesting operations to make life more affordable for everyone.

It would also permanently eliminate the provincial fuel tax.

“While we cannot remove the carbon tax entirely until the federal government does, we have the ability remove the carbon tax from fishing and harvesting operations to provide immediate relief,” said BC United candidate for Courtenay-Comox, Bill Coltart.

“Our fishing and aquaculture industry has been completely abandoned by the NDP, this is a common sense mainstream solution to provide immediate relief to the industry.”

BC United says removing the carbon tax from fishing and aquaculture could provide up to $45 million in tax relief to British Columbia’s commercial fishing sector.