Re: “Renters should carry some of the municipal tax burden,” commentary,

Nov. 26.

I agree with Geoff Young, but I ­disagree with the complex calculation of the method to calculate the renters’ share of the property tax.

I suggest that the annual rate of rent increase should be set each year by the B.C. government based on the percentage tax increase in the municipal budget.

This is the only ­noncontrollable expense that the landlord has. It ­encourages them to make up the deficit between the percentage increase the B.C. government allows and the actual increase in costs by cutting back on ­services, maintenance and other costs.

It would have the effect of the renters having “skin in the game.” I suspect that municipalities would be more financially prudent in their ­spending.

Norman Arden

Langford

The Canadian government plans to invest $60 billion to build a pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast. This plan is ­simply ­nonsense, and it is not ­economically viable.

The aim of the major project initiative of the government is to have Canada use its own resources and not to depend on the moods of the U.S. for trade.

There are enormous crude oil stocks in Alberta, yet most of Canada imports ­gasoline from the U.S. or even Europe.

Yes, Canada imports gasoline from the U.S., along with crude oil. While Canada is a net exporter of ­gasoline, regional differences in ­production and refinery capacity mean it needs to import gasoline to meet ­domestic demand, with Quebec and ­Atlantic Canada being the largest ­importers.

The U.S. is a major supplier of these imports due to a highly integrated energy market, although Canada also imports some gasoline from Europe.

Canadian oil should be refined here, and Canadian gasoline should be available across the country.

We have the oil resources, and we should be self-sufficient for our gasoline needs.

Instead of spending billions on crude oil pipelines to the coast for export, Canada should support more building of refining capacity and produce gasoline products for its own needs.

So, let’s build refineries where the oil is in........

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