Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My next round of questions will be for both the Financial Consumer Agency and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
You both mentioned that the increasing cost of living is driving people to finance day-to-day goods with credit cards, which is obviously a very worrying thing. If you have to buy food on a credit card, you're in a pretty stressful financial situation. The Parliamentary Budget Officer, just a moment ago, released an update to the cost of the carbon tax per household. He now says the average household across most income quintiles “will face a net cost when both fiscal and economic impacts of the federal fuel charge are considered.” He's taking into consideration, when you read the report, the fancy carbon rebate that is offered.
For example, in Newfoundland and Labrador, he's estimating that the net cost for an individual will be $713 more. In my province of Nova Scotia, per year, it will cost $313. In Alberta, it will be $725 more.
Can you comment on the impact this extra cost will have on food and the ability to heat homes? How is that driving people to use high-priced credit to pay their bills?
I'll start with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.