MacLeod certain eco fees will return following 90 day reprieve
Posted Jul 29, 2010 By Steph Willems
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Tweet ThisEMC News - The decision of the McGuinty government to scrap the controversial eco fee was met with widespread public approval on July 20, but the reprieve might be short-lived, according to PC Revenue & Government Accountability Critic Lisa MacLeod.
The fee, which went into effect on July 1 and raised the price of thousands of 'hazardous' items from batteries to soap and paint, came as a surprise to Ontario consumers who weren't expecting the new addition to their sales receipts. The backlash was immediate, not just from consumers, but also retailers.
Canadian Tire announced on the July 19 that it wouldn't impose the fee on its customers, a day later came word from the province that the fees would be dropped and the program "re-evaluated" for 90 days.
"I received hundreds of e-mails (from constituents), saying they didn't know what the tax was for," said Ms. MacLeod, MPP for the Nepean-Carleton riding.
In response to the outcry, Ms. MacLeod asked the auditor general to review Waste Diversion Ontario to see if the money collected under the eco fee program was spent efficiently. She also asked Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen to see if the province's waste diversion targets are being met and if Stewardship Ontario (the government-created, industry-funded agency that oversees and pays for the recycling of regular and hazardous waste) has the expertise to see such a program through.
"I'm also asking for the money (collected) to be reimbursed," said Ms. MacLeod.
"There has to be a way to do that, but right now the government doesn't know how much has been collected. They've unfairly charged people who didn't know it was coming by sneaking it in under the HST implementation."
Although the province has backtracked on the program, Ms. MacLeod said she doesn't think it will be gone for long.
"I fully expect to see the tax back in 90 days," she said. "This is them hitting the time out button - it's not a big step forward. It's a move driven by panic due to the emotions out there. This is not a full retreat, so anyone opposed to this tax must continue to speak out."
Ms. MacLeod mentioned that spending was out of control in Ontario and that it would be irresponsible to implement a program without ensuring that it would work first.
At the Ontario Legislature, a group of Ontarians - Ontario Citizens Against Eco Tax - will be holding a rally on Aug. 7 to protest eco fees.
Although the environment minister stated on July 21 that eco fees were "gone for good", the program is still running with the help of public funds as it is re-evaluated.
swillems@theemc.ca
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