B.C. facing future without consumer carbon tax for 1st time in 17 years [Video]

British Columbians are facing a future without a consumer carbon tax for the first time in 17 years, after the early-morning approval of a bill to end the long-standing policy.

The NDP government fast-tracked legislation in an effort to kill off the tax on Monday, in time to coincide with today’s demise of the federal version of the tax, but it was around 1:30 a.m. before it finally passed its third reading in the legislature.

Premier David Eby had said Monday he expected gas prices to fall by about 17 cents a litre today as the impact of the tax’s repeal kicked in, but many gas stations were showing smaller drops around 9 a.m.

The lowest price in Metro Vancouver, according to the GasBuddy website at 4 p.m. on Monday, was about $1.81, while at 9 a.m. today it was about $1.78.

Eby says the province’s utilities commission has the authority to uncover price gouging and British Columbians expect the price …