Now that the province has dropped eco fees, opposition MPPs are calling for a refund for people who were charged the fees during the three weeks that it was in effect.
“Thousands of Ontario families were ripped off by this tax grab,” said Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod, the opposition critic for revenue and government accountability. “Dalton McGuinty owns responsibility for his eco tax mess. He should also own responsibility for cleaning it up.”
People looking for a refund should go to the retailer, said Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi, since money from eco fees did not go the government.
“The government did not collect the money. We don’t have it, so we cannot refund it,” said Naqvi. “It goes to Stewardship Ontario to run diversion and recycling programs.”
However, Stewardship Ontario does not have the money either. According to Amanda Harper Sevonty, their first payment would not arrive until July 31. Even then it came from manufacturers as steward fees, not directly from the eco fees.
