The non-profit group Canadians for Affordable Energy is raising the alarm over how BC's carbon tax will impact households.

B.C. residents currently pay a carbon tax of $35 per tonne,and that will increase $5 a tonne every year until 2021.

Group President Kevin Lacey says if you are reliant on natural gas for heat and appliances -- and about 1-million residents are -- the price will rise 31% within 2 years, about $268 a household.

And Lacey says the tax will make life more unaffordable for many families -- especially low and fixed income residents:

" I mean look, the carbon tax is far-reaching. It's going to efect energy costs across the board. Natural gas, gasoline, and then costs that go downstream, things that require those energy sources like transportation of goods. Which will mean other goods will become more expensive."

Lacey says BC already has some of the highest gasoline prices in the country, but the carbon tax will pump prices up another 8% within 2 years.

Lacey says the problem with the carbon tax is it simply fills government coffers without lowering emissions.

" I think all Canadians want to do their part to help the environment. The issue is, is this tax actually making a difference. And I think the answer, when you look in British Columbia's case where emissions are going up not down, this tax is not accomplishing the goals politicians said it would when it was first implemented."

This article first appeared on C-Fax 1070 HERE