UBC expert on proposed sugar tax

A new Senate report is calling on the federal government to introduce a tax on sugary drinks in an attempt to address Canada’s obesity crisis.

Carol McAusland, a UBC food and resource economist, is available for comment on the Senate’s proposal.

Carol McAusland
Associate Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems and Canada Research Chair in Trade and Environment
Cell: 778.938.1007
Email: carol.mcausland@ubc.ca

Quotes:
“Theory predicts that soda taxes would reduce soda consumption, but the evidence suggests that soda taxes and bans on the sale of sugar sweetened beverages in schools, for example, don’t lower obesity rates.”

“The downside to a soda tax is that sugar consumption is not a problem for a lot of people. As much as I’d like government to enact policy that deals with obesity rates, I don’t think a sugar tax is a solution.”

Contact

Corey Allen
UBC Public Affairs
Tel: 604.822.2644
Email: corey.allen@ubc.ca