Hamilton to seek feasibility of pipeline tax hike idea brought forth by environment delegates

Hamilton councillors have staff looking into raising taxes on pipelines after hearing from a member of Environment Hamilton on how the city can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Delegates from an environmental advocacy group are championing a potential initiative that could aid in the reduction of local fossil fuel dependence via bumps in a pipeline tax.

Adeola Egbeyemi, a project assistant with Environment Hamilton, says councillors “perked up” when her group suggested potential levies to Hamilton’s pipeline rate could be a revenue option since it’s one municipal tax that has no provincial threshold limiting increases.

“So unlike the other classes, they have no limits on what the province says and the city has to sort of adhere to, ” Egbeyemi told 900 CHML’s Good Morning Hamilton.

“But during our research, we found that there was no limit to this one.”

The revelation came during research on six climate-related initiatives the non-profit was hoping councillors might sign on to in a fight against climate change.

Councillors have asked staff to look into the possibility of raising those taxes and how it might reduce the city’s reliance on fossil fuel.

Residential taxpayers wouldn’t benefit from the increase directly, but it could ease burden on other tax bases like the industrial and commercial sectors, according to the city’s general manager.

Mike Zegerac told councillors during a Monday budget meeting the effect would likely be a reduction in tax rates on other property classes.