Dion to revamp Green Shift plan to appease truckers: Report

OTTAWA, Ont. — A report suggests federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion will adjust his carbon tax proposal to include up to $1 billion in aid for truckers and other groups that would shoulder an unfair burden of his original carbon tax scheme.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, Dion will unveil the changes today. The Green Shift plan has come under fire from the Canadian trucking industry. The plan would slap additional taxes on diesel fuel, but not gasoline, with extra revenue being directed towards income tax cuts and social programs.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has argued that truckers would be hit hardest by the plan and would not receive meaningful benefits in return.

The Star reports that changes to be unveiled today include up to $1 billion in tax incentives and funding programs that encourage the use of fuel-saving devices for truckers, farmers, commercial boat operators and other groups that would be hit hardest by Green Shift’s increase in diesel taxes.