The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is urging the government to rule out any new taxes or controls on the foods Canadians choose.
BC Director of the Taxpayers Federation, Kris Sims said, “the government should keep their hands out of our treat bags and quit trying to tax Canadians for the food they want to eat.”
Sims said the problem with a tax on sugar is that it is applied subjectively based on food preference and they don’t change behaviours they just make the government more money.
According to a Medical Services Premiums Task Force B.C. estimates, the provincial government could collect an extra $120 million a year from taxpayers in B.C.
There has been a lot of talk in the press this past year on the impact a tax on sugar would have on Canadians.
In 2016, Britain implemented a tax on sugar to try and address the countries rising obesity rates.
With obesity rates for children in Canada nearly tripling in the last 30 years many are looking for a solution.