The Progressive Conservative government is requiring gas stations to put stickers on their pumps that show motorists the cost of the federal government’s carbon-pricing measures. Alexandra Heck/Torstar

TORONTO—The Ford government is proposing to bring its anti-carbon tax sticker law into effect just as the federal election campaign gets under way.

The stickers were unveiled by the government in April and a new law, included in the omnibus budget bill, would force all gas stations to display them or risk a fine that could reach $10,000 per day.

According to the proposed regulation, the Federal Carbon Tax Transparency Act would take effect on Aug. 30. This means that only days before the writ drops on the federal election, gas pumps across Ontario will be adorned with stickers slamming a key initiative of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

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Energy Minister Greg Rickford’s spokesperson said there’s no proposed grace period in the regulations, meaning unless the rules are changed, gas stations would have to post the stickers by the end of August.

The stickers are part of Premier Doug Ford’s efforts to fight the federal carbon tax — which took effect in Ontario on April 1. The decals outline the cost the carbon tax adds to a litre of gas but don’t mention any other aspects of the broader program, namely that most families will have the costs associated with the carbon tax covered by a new carbon tax rebate.

The carbon tax is part of the federal government’s efforts to address climate change and meet internationally agreed to emissions targets.

“The federal carbon tax will cost you,” reads the sticker. An accompanying graphic shows the carbon tax will add 4.4 cents to the price of a litre of gas this year, rising to 11 cents by 2022.

Rickford’s office said in April that the government will order 25,000 stickers for an estimated price of $4,954 total. Rickford’s spokesperson, Ian Allen, wouldn’t say how much it will cost to distribute the stickers. Instead, in a statement Tuesday, he said “let’s be clear- these stickers will cost much less than the carbon tax cash grab.”

He said the stickers are needed to bring “transparency” to the carbon tax issue.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Civil Liberties Association have both spoken out against the stickers.

The CCLA sent a letter to Rickford and Attorney General Caroline Mulroney calling the stickers “compelled political speech” which violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The letter says if no changes are made to the bill, the association will “immediately” launch a charter challenge once it becomes law.

The chamber meantime sent a letter to Ford, Rickford and Finance Minister Vic Fedeli saying that its members “expressed concerns regarding the political nature of the stickers, viewing them as a violation of their rights and freedoms.”

During last year’s provincial election, Ford pledged to spend $30 million challenging the federal carbon tax. So far that has included a court challenge, an ad campaign with an undisclosed budget and the stickers.

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Ford told reporters last week he wouldn’t get involved in the federal election. He said he views his campaign against the carbon tax as a separate issue.

“I would say we would do that no matter if there’s a federal election or not,” he said. “We’re informing the public what a terrible tax this is.”

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has called the stickers “misguided, shortsighted, and irresponsible.”

The consultation period for the sticker regulation closes on July 9.

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