Canadian Taxpayers Federation calling for permanent gas tax cut in Manitoba

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier Wab Kinew to permanently reinstate Manitoba’s provincial gas tax cut after he said the 2024 gas tax holiday was the most important thing a Manitoba government has ever done.

“Which was the most important thing that a provincial government ever did in the history of Manitoba because it gave power back to the middle class and to the low-income folks?” asked Premier Kinew.

The Government of Manitoba temporarily cut its gas tax in 2024, but brought it back at the start of 2025. According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, since early March, gas prices in Manitoba have jumped by more than 30 cents per litre.

The federation says bringing back the tax cut would save drivers hundreds of dollars a year.

“That’s putting huge strain on families’ wallets, and the government shouldn’t be adding taxes on top of already expensive gas prices,” said Gage Haubrich, the Prairie Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Haubrich says there are many factors to show that the previous gas tax is something they know works to make life more affordable for Manitobans.

“We saw in 2024 when the government did cut that gas tax by the full amount, that gas prices were the lowest in the country in Manitoba, and Manitoba had the country’s lowest inflation,” said Haubrich.

In a statement to CityNews, Minister of Finance Adrien Sala said, “Affordability is the number one economic issue facing Manitobans, and our budget delivers targeted relief. We’re helping lower- and middle-income Manitobans the most. We can’t control everything driving up costs, but we can take real, practical action to help Manitobans every single day.”

Adding, “Our way of governing is looking at tangible ways to help people with the cost of living. We permanently cut the gas tax, froze hydro rates, and we’re taking the PST off groceries; every bit of relief adds up. The fastest way to bring down gas prices is to end the war in Iran. Manitobans shouldn’t be paying the price for decisions made in Washington, which no one over there can explain.”