The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says hidden taxes are making soaring gas prices even more painful. The CTF’s 24th annual Gas Tax Honesty Report shows that taxes are 26 per cent of the pump price in Saskatchewan. The Federal Director of the CTF says Saskatchewan has four gas taxes – provincial, federal, carbon tax and federal sales fax after all the per-litre taxes are added, which Franco Terrazzano calls a tax-on-tax, which adds an extra 1.8 cents per litre of gas.

Terrazzano says federal and provincial politicians could provide significant relief right now by cutting the tax bill at the pumps. He notes the Alberta government is providing gas tax relief and believes Premier Scott Moe should do the same.

Terrazzano says if gas is $1.68 in Saskatchewan, $1.24 is the price for the gas and 44 cents is the tax, which is 26 per cent of the cost. In Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the federal government has imposed its own carbon tax. In all other provinces, carbon taxes are required to be implemented by the provincial government.