Nova Scotia opposition urges PC government to cut provincial gas tax

Nova Scotia’s opposition liberals are now calling on Finance Minister Allan MacMaster to give motorists a break and cut the provincial gas tax.

The 180.4 cents per litre (CPL) price for a litre of regular self-serve gasoline includes the provincial motive fuel tax.

“Right now, it’s 15 [and a half] cents,” says Liberal finance critic Fred Tilley.

“Many provinces have already done this, Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland, they’ve already cut their taxes. So there’s no reason Nova Scotia can’t follow suit,” Tilley says.

Last week, minister MacMaster stated in the legislature that the federal government wouldn’t allow the province to slash the tax because it would counter carbon pricing regulations.

“Clearly, he didn’t do his homework. In the fact that the motive fuel tax is a provincial tax and the federal government has no jurisdiction over that,” adds Tilley.

CTV News reached out to the province asking if MacMaster was standing by his statement -- that his hands were tied. They responded, saying they have “nothing further to add on the matter.”

While the pump price for gasoline has hovered around 180 CPL for the last few weeks, diesel prices continue to climb, up 28 cents in November.

“Gasoline demand typically declines going into the fall and winter as Canadians stay closer to home,” says petroleum industry expert, Patrick DeHaan. “That’s a trend seen across most of North America. Diesel could remain challenged and elevated. It certainly could go up more.”

But that won’t happen Monday. Nova Scotia’s Utility and Review Board will use its interrupter clause to adjust the price of gas at midnight. Diesel will not be affected.