Ontario is planning on cutting gas taxes so drivers can expect to save up to 5.7 cents a litre starting this summer.
The cut will come into effect on July 1, after the June 2 provincial election, and will remain in place until Dec. 31.
The gas tax rate would be cut 5.7 cents per litre, from 14.7 cents to nine cents.
Fuel tax, including diesel, will also be cut from 14.3 cents per litre to nine cents per litre, resulting in a cut of 5.3 cents.
The provincial government is also asking the federal government to reduce the carbon tax, which increased on April 1 to 11.05 cents per litre on gasoline and 13.41 cents per litre on diesel.
“Ongoing supply chain challenges and geopolitical conflicts are pushing up the cost of living from gas to groceries,” Peter Bethlenfalvy, the Minister of Finance said in a statement Monday.
“Ontario is getting stronger, and with this proposed legislation, our government is doing its part to support workers and families,” he said.
The Ford government said households should see an average savings of about $465 on gas in 2022.
Humber students on Monday said that the savings, though small, will be helpful.
“Driving is my main mode of transportation,” said Business Management student Chad Scott.
“I have to drive to school every day, so any little bit helps.”
Scott said he has a young daughter so the savings he would gain from the lowering of prices would go towards supporting her.
Katie Attridge, a Fitness and Health Promotion student, also supported the tax cut.
“I only see positives,” she said.
“It would be beneficial for me since I’ve been spending an extra $30 a week on gas since it’s gone up,” said Attridge.
“Hopefully I would save that money … but it could go to food too or other extras,” she said.
Other students were suspicious of the timing of the cuts, right after the provincial election.
“It’s not enough for me to vote for him [Ford] but I mean it’s something,” said Gage Everitt, a Guelph-Humber Media and Communications studies student.
Everitt said if he had extra savings from gas, it would go towards his education.
“It’s only nine cents a litre, but, in all, that’s enough to cover my books,” Everitt said.
This tax cut follows other moves the government has made to reduce the cost of transportation in recent years.
Other plans include removing license plate sticker and renewal costs and legislation in 2018 that reduced gas prices by 4.3 cents per litre by eliminating the previous provincial government’s cap and trade carbon tax.