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Originally Posted by Doctorfever
Honestly curious. What is the point of the calculator if it doesn’t include any external costs?
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Direct costs are calculable, indirect are not. Another way of putting it is accounting costs versus economic costs.
Essentially, how do we know how to attribute an increase in product costs to carbon tax versus standard inflation and/or corporate greed?
Let's say an apple pre-Carbox tax cost $1.00. When you add in the additional costs to grow and bring the apple to market, let's say the apple now costs $1.05. That would vary depending on the product and organe might go from $1.00 to $1.10 due to increased distance traveled. But then, you have grocers now saying the apple costs $1.25 due to carbon tax then reporting a 20% increase in profits with people going "Thanks Trudeau, now my apples are $1.25, how am I supposed to feed my family?" While the Westons and Sobeys are swimming in their Scrooge McDuck vaults.
That is to say, it's complicated. But at least calculating direct costs shows a baseline, and can clearly demonstrate a negative (if it were negative that is).