Ron Moore of Hillsburgh wanted to know the real cost of a carbon tax, so he did some calculations.
He looked at his energy use in 2018. His three main emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) were: heating his home using natural gas, using home electricity, and driving his 2013 Honda Fit. The table below shows the amount of fuel he used in each of these three sources, and the resulting amount of CO2 that was emitted.
| CO2 emitter | Amount used | Rate of emission | Total CO2 |
| Heat | 1980 m3 | 2.4 kg / m3 | 4752 kg |
| Electricity | 2750 kWh | 44.03 g / kWh | 121 kg |
| Car | 1168 L | 2.31 kg / L | 2968 kg |
| Total emissions: | 7841 kg |
In 2018, Ron’s energy use emitted 7841 kg of CO2, or 7.841 tonnes.
If there had been a carbon tax in 2018 of $20 per tonne of CO2, Ron would have had to pay $157. However, he would have received at tax rebate of $169.40, giving him an extra $12.50 that he could spend on whatever he wished.
He has since installed solar panels on his roof and purchased an electric car and an electric lawnmower, which would all increase the amount of money the government would pay him thanks to a carbon tax rebate.
So the real cost of a carbon tax? For this Wellington – Halton Hills resident, a carbon tax would only make him money.