Budget Watchdog Says Feds Hiding Analysis of Carbon Tax Economic Impact

The federal budget watchdog says Ottawa is withholding its analysis of the economic impacts of the carbon tax. “We’ve seen that, staff in my office, but we’ve been told explicitly not to disclose it and reference it,” Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Yves Giroux told the House of Commons finance committee June 3. Mr. Giroux told MPs the analysis “essentially” confirms the report that his office has published. The PBO has assessed that when the economic impacts of the carbon tax are factored in, eight out of 10 households are worse off financially. “So that’s why I’m comfortable with what we have already published, with the understanding that it provides the impact of the carbon tax and the OBPS [output-based pricing system],” he said....