The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s plan to address inflation with more government spending.

During a keynote address in Toronto Thursday, Freeland highlighted an Affordability Plan which consists of $8.9 billion dollars this year through existing programs which includes increasing Old Age Security by 10 per cent and boosting the Canada Workers Benefit by $1.7 billion dollars in 2022.

In a news release, the CTF says Freeland’s plan is “trying to fight (the) inflation fire with gasoline.”

According to the CTF, the federal government’s spending is projected to be $452.3 billion dollars, which is $89.4 billion above pre-pandemic spending back in 2019.

Franco Terrazzano, the CTF’s Federal Director says “Instead, Freeland need to rein in overspending and lower taxes.”

Terrazzano points to other jurisdictions that have introduced tax relief at the pumps to ease inflation including Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, the United Kingdom and South Korea.