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Sunday, October 5, 2025

Alberta to tax electric vehicles at the same rate as fuel tax

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-
SourceL Unsplash

The Alberta government has announced in its 2024 budget that a $200 annual tax will be applied to electric vehicles as early as January 2025.

The tax will be paid when owners register their vehicles and will be in addition to the existing registration fee. The tax rate is in line with the annual fuel tax paid by drivers of gas vehicles, said the Alberta government. 

The tax will not apply to owners of hybrid vehicles.

“EVs tend to be heavier than similar internal combustion vehicles and cause more wear and tear on provincial roadways while their owners pay no fuel tax,” said the Alberta government.

Although revenue from fuel taxes is not explicitly dedicated to the construction and maintenance of provincial roads, concerns remain over fairness as fuel tax revenue declines.

The tax is expected to generate $1 million in revenue for the 2024-25 year. The revenue will increase substantially as EV adoption is expected to accelerate, reaching $5 million in 2025-26 and $8 million in 2026-27 according to government projections.

More details about the EV tax will be made available when legislation is introduced in fall 2024.

The Alberta government said that it will continue to review the sustainability of the fuel tax, including the increasing use of alternative fuels, and consider changes to protect tax revenues.

The federal Liberal government outlined its plan to phase out gas vehicles by mandating that at least 20% of new vehicles purchased be electric by 2026, 60% by 2030, and that all new vehicles purchased are electric by 2035.

Despite this promise, customers have been growing wearier of EVs, causing them not to sell. A June 2023 survey found that 66% of Canadians said they were unlikely to consider buying an electric vehicle for their next car purchase, 13% higher than the 53% who felt that way in 2022.

Interest in purchasing electric vehicles among Canadians has seen a decline, dropping from 47% to 34%, a trend largely attributed to the fact that electric vehicles encounter 79% more problems than gas vehicles.

EVs also come with a hefty price tag, while Canadians struggle with the cost of living. EVs have an average price tag of $73,500, according to Canadian Black Book, more than $6,000 higher than gas-powered vehicles.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been vocal in the past against any EV mandates and federal electricity regulations. She said that Alberta’s electric grids are not equipped to handle the demand that a forced full-scale transition to EVs would need.

However, she said that the federal government helping provinces develop infrastructure and advanced technologies suitable for Canada’s long distances and cold weather could encourage more Canadians to drive EVs.

Some municipalities have distanced themselves from EVs. Saskatchewan’s town of La Ronge concluded that adopting electric vehicles for municipal use didn’t make sense and posed too many risks, especially related to emergency use. 

St. Albert, a municipality from within Alberta, faced criticism for overpromising and underdelivering on the capabilities of expensive electric bus fleets.

Ratio’d | Trudeau is trying to END Free Speech with new censorship law

By
Harrison Faulkner
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Source: Wikipedia

The Trudeau government’s new online hate speech legislation spells the end for free speech in Canada as we know it. You could find yourself being given a life sentence in prison for having the wrong opinions online. You could be ordered to wear a tracking device by the Attorney General and forced to stay in your house if someone fears you might commit a hate offence. This is beyond absurd. This is downright frightening.

These new online hate speech laws, if passed, will almost certainly be interpreted through the lens of a radical leftist ideology and be used to silence criticism of the government, intimidate people into submission and protect the interests of leftist special interest groups.

You would be wise to start preparing for your upcoming Human Rights Tribunal defence. It’s inevitable.

Watch the latest episode of Ratio’d with Harrison Faulkner.

Alberta’s $2.6 billion surplus by 2027 overshadowed by big borrowing in budget

By
Isaac Lamoureux
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Source: Facebook

The Alberta government unveiled its 2024 budget, showing that the taxpayer support debt of $78.4 billion is equal to 106.6% of total revenue.

The budget, poised to bolster the province’s status as Canada’s economic powerhouse, forecasts a $367 million surplus for the fiscal year 2024-25. The surplus is set to increase to $1.4 billion in 2025-26 and $2.6 billion in 2026-27.

Despite the technical surplus, the province is projected to borrow $19.8 billion for 2024-25, $5.4 billion for refinancing maturing debt, $2.8 billion in new funding for the capital plan and year-end cash adjustments, and $11.6 billion to repay debt maturities coming in 2025-26. 

The borrowing is expected to decrease to $4.4 billion in 2025-26 and $8 billion in 2026-27.

The province justified the high amount of debt by saying that it needed to borrow in advance of its immediate cash needs. The funds raised in advance will be held in a designated debt retirement account. The cash will be invested in high-quality bonds to the maturity dates of the existing debts, ensuring the province is positioned to repay bonds as they come due.

Alberta’s revenue of $73.5 billion is offset by total expenses of $71.2 billion and an additional $2 billion for contingency and disaster expenses. While the revenues have decreased since last year, the expenses increased, leading to a lower surplus compared to the $5.2 billion in 2023-24.

The net debt to GDP ratio decreased from 9.3% in 2023-24 to 9.1% in 2024-25. It is expected to drop further from 8.5% and 7.7% in the subsequent years. 

Minister of Finance Nate Horner underscored the budget’s balanced approach. 

“Alberta is growing. Budget 2024 is a plan that manages the pressures faced by a growing province today while securing the future for generations who follow. I’m proud of the choices we made in this budget that support Albertans’ top priorities and prepare our province to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Budget 2024 invests today and saves for tomorrow so we can continue to be the nation’s economic engine,” he said. 

Alberta has pledged to use at least half of any surplus funds to reduce the province’s taxpayer-supported debt, which is projected to decrease by $3.2 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Alberta will invest $2 billion more into the Heritage Fund, with earnings retained in the fund at $1.38 billion. The market value of the Heritage Fund will be $25 billion.

Health care emerges as a top priority, with a record $26.2 billion investment to enhance services, including mental health support and the modernization of the primary health care system. 

The funding consists of $475 million for primary health care and $4.4 billion for acute care. Additionally, $126 million over three years is allocated towards a rural physician expansion, and more than $6.6 billion is dedicated to physician compensation and business support. Continuing care will receive $1 billion over three years.

Mental health and addiction services are set to receive $1.13 billion in 2024-25, with $3.6 billion earmarked over three years for health capital projects.

Education also receives a substantial boost, with $9.3 billion allocated to support burgeoning enrolment numbers, hire additional staff, and cater to specialized student needs. $1.2 billion is designated for enrollment growth over three years. Vulnerable students will be supported with $1.5 billion in funding. $1.9 billion will go towards new school projects over three years.

By 2026, parents will pay an average of $10 per day for child care. Plans to help reduce costs for families are to provide grants to not-for-profit and private child care operators to lower fees and to expand eligibility for child care subsidies, providing cost saving to families earning up to $180,000 per year.

The budget also addresses public safety and community well-being, earmarking $1.2 billion for emergency services and initiatives to combat crime, alongside significant investments in wildfire management and disaster preparedness.

In terms of economic outlook, Alberta anticipates a 2.9% growth in real GDP for 2024, backed by strong population growth and strategic investments in key sectors. However, Alberta’s real GDP per capita is decreasing and is expected to rebound in 2025. The rebound will still remain below 2019 levels as economic growth lags behind Alberta’s population growth.

The province’s population is forecast to grow by 3.7%, 175,000 people, below the 4.1% increase of last year. Non-permanent residents are forecast to be driven by the arrival of approximately 30,000 Ukrainians under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, as well as students and work permit holders. Alberta is forecast to welcome more than 53,000 people from the rest of the country, below last year’s record of 56,000.

Low personal and corporate income taxes, low fuel tax, and no sales tax results in Albertans paying generally lower taxes than residents of other provinces.

“In 2024-25, Albertans and Alberta businesses would pay at least $19 billion more in taxes if Alberta had the same tax system as any other province,” said the Alberta government in its fiscal update. 

Budget 2024 also announced the implementation of the Alberta is Calling Attraction Bonus, a one-time payment of a $5,000 refundable tax credit to individuals working in eligible occupations who move to Alberta after the program start date in April 2024. This program will provide a total of $10 million in benefits to workers.

The Alberta government plans to introduce a new tax cut over the next two years. In 2026, a 9% bracket will be introduced for income up to $60,000. The rate will be reduced to 8% in 2027. Taxpayer savings are expected to be $760 annually once the tax cut is fully implemented, with total annual savings of $1.4 billion.

Privacy commissioner investigating UWaterloo facial recognition vending machines

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

A privacy investigation is underway at the University of Waterloo after students discovered that some vending machines on campus were using facial analysis software without their knowledge or consent.

Two complaints were filed with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario about the issue and requested the commissioner to look into whether the university violated any privacy laws.

The vending machines, which are made by a company called Invenda, are supposed to use the software to determine the age and gender of customers and tailor their product offerings accordingly. 

However, students were not informed of this feature and only found out when one of the machines malfunctioned and displayed an error message that revealed the software’s name.

The former Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Ann Cavoukian, who now leads the Global Privacy & Security by Design Centre, condemned the use of facial recognition technology without consent and warned of its potential risks to privacy and identity.

“This is completely unacceptable Who authorized the use of facial recognition in a vending machine, clearly without the consent of the individuals whose faces were being captured? The impact of this unauthorized access to such sensitive personal data is extensive, not only to privacy but extending to identity theft, etc,” Cavoukian told True North.

Invenda, on the other hand, defended its software and claimed that it complies with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation laws. 

The company also said that it does not store or share any personal data from the customers and that it is transparent about its technology.

In response to the reports, the university has said that it has disabled the machines and will be replacing the units. 

The Daily Brief | RCMP investigates ArriveCan scandal

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

A Liberal MP said he was thankful that his government marginalized millions of unvaccinated Canadians because they were “far-right.”

Plus, the RCMP has confirmed it is investigating the controversial ArriveCan app.

And Canadian taxpayers are dishing out $14 billion for over 110,000 high-earning federal workers.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

Poilievre calls Trudeau’s snap election a cover-up for Winnipeg lab scandal

By
Quinn Patrick
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CPAC

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the Trudeau government of compromising national security and colluding with Beijing, alleging that the Chinese government assisted Trudeau in winning the 2021 snap election on Thursday. 

Polievre made the accusations in response to newly released documents which reveal that two scientists working in Canada’s top microbiology lab were covertly working with Beijing.

“Under Justin Trudeau’s watch, the PRC and its entities, including the People’s Liberation Army, were allowed to infiltrate Canada’s top level lab. They were able to transfer sensitive intellectual property and dangerous pathogens to the PRC,” reads a statement released by Poilievre. 

“Based on its own assessment, the Liberal government allowed a person who is “a very serious and credible danger” and “a realistic and credible threat to Canada’s economic security” to access and compromise our country’s top level lab, which works with some of the world’s most dangerous viruses, such as Ebola.”

When news of this first leaked to the media via largely redacted documents in 2021, the Trudeau government promptly called a snap election. 

After a further release of the documents, Poilievre is now accusing Trudeau of calling the election in an attempt to cover up the massive national security breach. 

“This is a massive national security failure by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government, which he fought tooth and nail to cover up, including defying four parliamentary orders and taking the House of Commons Speaker to court. He cannot be trusted to keep our people and our country safe,” wrote Poilievre.

“Common Sense Conservatives are studying every single page of these explosive documents and will not stop until Canadians know the truth about this unprecedented and terrifying security breach.”

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service discovered that two scientists fired from Canada’s most secure microbiology lab in Winnipeg covertly worked with labs run by the Chinese government and also collaborated with “institutions whose goals have potentially lethal military applications.”

The documents, which remain redacted in parts, reveal that Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng were removed from the lash in 2019 and then later fired in 2021. 

CSIS made recommendations to the Public Health Agency of Canada to revoke security clearances from both scientists. 

“The Service assess that Ms. Qiu developed deep, cooperative relationships with a variety of People’s Republic of China institutions and has intentionally transferred scientific knowledge and materials to China in order to benefit the PRC government,” reads a letter to the PHAC from CISI in January 2021, wherein the recommendation was made. 

According to CSIS, Qiu was likely hired by the lab through China’s Thousand Talents Program, a government-sponsored program designed to recruit Chinese experts to come work in Western countries. 

Qiu’s position was connected to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 

Qiu’s CV made no mention of the fact that she was a visiting professor with several Chinese institutions which she repeatedly lied about when asked. 

“Qiu continued to make blanket denials, feign ignorance or tell outright lies,” reads the CSIS letter.

CSIS informed PHAC in July 2020 that they found Cheng’s position at the lab also suspicious, as he was hired under similar circumstances.

“Despite being given ample opportunities to provide truthful statements to the interviewers, regarding topics of concern relating to his security clearance, the service assesses that Mr. Cheng failed to tell the truth in areas where he most needed to,” wrote CSIS at the time.

Qiu was also found to have shared scientific data that came from the Winnipeg lab without the necessary authorization to do so by PHAC’s National Security Management Division in 2018.

It remains unknown whether or not Qie and Cheng are still living in Canada.

The Trudeau government fought in Parliament to keep these documents from being released, citing national security concerns. 

The Liberals even went as far as to sue the Speaker of the House of Commons in court to stop him from releasing them. 

Eventually, the Liberals agreed to allow for an ad-hoc committee of opposition MP’s to review the documents to resolve disputes over its redacted portions before a panel of judges. 

“The information appears to be mostly about protecting the organization from embarrassment for failures in policy and implementation, not legitimate national security concerns, and its release is essential to hold the government to account,” wrote the opposition MPs.

Liberal Health Minister Mark Holland defended the long, drawn-out process to release the documents, saying that it was in the name of national security, according to the National Post. 

Poilievre called it an “unprecedented and terrifying security breach.”

“A Pierre Poilievre government will secure our labs and all of our government assets against these sorts of national security breaches and will stand on guard for our country to make sure this never happens again,” he wrote. 

Another conflict of interest discovered with ArriveCan contracts

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Only one day after the federal government announced it would be reviewing its program to help Indigenous contractors, news came to light that one of the CEO’s of a company that prompted the review also works for the Department of National Defence. 

David Yeo was confirmed by the DND to be an active employee, but Yeo is also the CEO of Dalian Enterprises, a company which received $7.9 million to work on the ArriveCan app. 

Yeo has since been suspended but remains employed with the department. 

“Due to the serious nature of the concerns raised, DND is launching an internal investigation into the matter,” a spokesperson for the DND told CTV News in an email.

“The individual has been suspended while this investigation is underway. We are in the process of suspending contracts with Dalian.”

The email claimed that the investigation would be finished promptly, however, no deadline was given. 

“We take these concerns very seriously and the internal investigation will be thorough…,” reads the email.

Dalian Enterprises presents itself as Indigenous-owned and the company has received $400 million in government contracts along with Coradix, another company. 

A review of how these Indigenous-owned business contracts are awarded was announced by Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu on Wednesday 

The Trudeau government’s policy is that 5% of total government contacts must go to Indigenous-owned businesses by 2024. 

Yeo is allegedly employed on the civilian side of the DND as a member of the Materiel group, according to multiple sources, reports CTV News. 

It wasn’t just the DND who were awarding Dalian Enterprises contracts however, they also received them from the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency, among others. 

Canada brings back Visas for Mexican nationals after facing US pressure

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

As of today, Canada will impose a Visa on Mexican nationals who want to visit the country by air. 

According to Liberal Immigration Minister Marc MIller, only those who have a valid US non-immigrant visa or who have had a Canadian visa in the past 10 years will be eligible for an electronic travel authorization.

The rest of the visitors will have to apply for a regular Canadian visitor visa, which takes longer to process and has more stringent requirements.

“Mexico is an important partner to Canada. We will continue to welcome Mexican temporary workers, students, visitors and immigrants who bring diverse skills and important contributions to our economy and communities,” said Miller in a press release. 

“We strive for balance between the movement of people between our two great countries, and the need to relieve pressure on our immigration system so we can provide protection to those who need it the most.”

Miller said that this decision was made to address the high number of asylum claims from Mexican nationals, which have increased dramatically since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lifted the visa requirement for Mexico in 2016. 

The government said that most of these claims are rejected, withdrawn or abandoned, and that they put a strain on the country’s immigration and asylum systems. 

Miller also said the governmentwants to maintain the mobility and economic ties between Canada and Mexico, which are important trading partners.

The new rules will not affect Mexican citizens who already have a valid work or study permit in Canada, or who are already in the country with an eTA. 

They will also not affect those who travel by land or sea. The government said that it will continue to monitor the situation and work with Mexico to find solutions to the migration challenges.

The announcement came after reports that the US government had pressured Canada to re-impose the visa on Mexico, citing security concerns.

As reported by True North, Mexican cartels were using the lax rules to smuggle fentanyl and other drugs into North America. 

Despite these concerns, in 2022, the Canadian government defended its visa-free policy for Mexico.

Two British Airways employees arrested for Canadian immigration scam

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Two men have been arrested for allegedly orchestrating a scam to help Indian citizens enter Canada without proper documentation through British Airways flights. The passengers were told to seek asylum once they arrived. 

According to The Times of London, the two men worked for British Airways and would enable people to board flights from Heathrow Airport without proper documentation for a fee of £25,000 per person or about $43,000. 

The two men used their positions at British Airways to get people past two separate airport checkpoints once they had received their fee. 

“He ensured that they came to his check-in desk and then made sure he was rostered to be at the boarding gate. We have a lot of people who connect from inbound Indian flights onto outbound Canadian flights and he claimed it was useful for him being at the gate because he was bilingual,” an airline source told the Times. 

Once the passengers, who were predominantly coming from India arrived in Canada, they would claim asylum. 

Other clients were UK-based asylum claimants who feared that they would be denied the right to remain in the UK and be deported.

Authorities estimate the scam took in about £3 million or over $5.1 million. 

The two men were arrested on Jan. 6 after Canadian immigration officials sounded the alarm on the growing number of people arriving in Toronto or Vancouver via flights without the necessary documentation and then immediately claiming asylum. 

Both men fled to India after being released on bail. 

One of the two men owns several properties in India and their current whereabouts remains unknown. 

U.K and Indian authorities both have an extradition treaty with Canada, should the two be apprehended.

British Airways told National Post in a statement that they “are assisting the authorities with their investigation.”

Several other Indians are currently facing deportation on charges of entering Canada through a scheme involving fake acceptance letters to Canadian universities last year. 

Canada’s debt-to-income ratio largest in the G7 despite households being second wealthiest

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-
Source: Facebook/Facebook/Facebook

Canada has the highest level of household debt to disposable income compared to other G7 countries, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday.

Data from 2021 shows that Canadians had nearly twice as high of a debt-to-income ratio when compared to the US and Germany. For every dollar a Canadian household spent, they owed about $1.85. In comparison, the average German and American owed one dollar for every dollar spent.

The lowest debt-to-income ratio in the G7 was Italy at approximately 90%, owing less than they spent.

This high level of debt comes despite Canada having the second-highest total household wealth as a percentage of net disposable income, only behind the United States.

Canada’s household debt has been rising for a while. Two years after the 2008 recession, household debt rose by 15% reaching 95% of household debt as the share of the GDP, and by 2021, debt exceeded the share of GDP, said the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Comparatively, the debt-to-income ratio was just 66% in 1980.

Canada’s reliance on consumer spending as a key source of economic growth has contributed to greater debt burdens, said Statistics Canada.

“Likewise, housing has been a double-edged sword—critical for wealth creation for middle-class households, but also leading to imbalances between assets and debt,” said the agency.

Net savings have decreased since the pandemic, and renters and lower-income families are spending more than they make. 

Only residents in the fourth and fifth income quintiles are saving more than they spend, with everyone else spending more than they make. 

Statistics Canada added that the prevailing high-interest rates significantly affect younger families with substantial mortgage debts, highlighting the growing barriers to homeownership and their potential to hinder socioeconomic progress.

The data also showed that younger households may turn away from the housing market, leading to less mortgage debt overall.

While Canadian households have been reducing their borrowing due to higher interest rates, this cautious approach has a downside. Mortgage interest payments rose by 4% in the third quarter of 2023, indicating that despite borrowing less, families are facing higher costs.

This increase was coupled with the household debt service ratio climbing above 15% in the same period, with a shift towards paying interest instead of principal, further straining household finances.

The move by many to extend mortgage terms past 30 years, a trend that intensified after 2021, highlights the growing pressures on homeowners. Furthermore, 30% of total outstanding mortgage debt is tied up in variable-rate mortgages puts families in a precarious position, at the mercy of changing interest rates.

The challenging situation is expected to intensify in 2024 and 2025, when Statistics Canada predicts about 2.2 million households will encounter an “interest rate shock,” impacting nearly 45% of all outstanding mortgages.The renewal of mortgages is expected to be worth $675 billion.

Canadians anxiously await the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate announcement expected on March 6. The bank previously held the key interest rate at 5% in its last update in January, following three consecutive rate holds in 2023. 

The nation’s reliance on consumer spending and real estate investments has skewed the financial landscape for numerous Canadian families, with post-pandemic increases in savings and net worth largely benefitting the wealthiest and property owners, said Statistics Canada. 

Moreover, with nearly 50% of mortgages up for renewal in the next two years, there’s a looming cloud of financial instability for families already tightening their belts, which could further dampen consumer expenditure and, consequently, the broader economic vitality.

For average householders, real estate represents about 55% of their wealth, and mortgages represent most of their debt, even more pronounced among middle-class or working-age families.

Those 55 and older possess 61% of the total wealth in Canada, suggesting major risks for intergenerational mobility in the coming decades.

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