Canada has changed its carbon tax rebate payment & here’s what to know

The Canadian government has made some changes to what we know as the Climate Action Incentive Payment. Now known as the Canada Carbon Rebate, Canadians will see an increase in quarterly payments starting this April. Here’s what to know.

According to the federal government, the Canada Carbon Rebate is how they return “the proceeds of carbon pollution pricing to families in provinces where the federal backstop system applies.”

What’s new?

In other words, this rebate will be given to Canadians every three months and some of the new updates will be received via direct deposit or cheque.

The most obvious change, its name, was updated in order to clarify its function and “make its meaning and relationship to the carbon pricing system more intuitive for Canadians.”

As for the payment amount, it was updated to reflect the temporary pause of fuel charges on deliveries of home heating oil, per the federal government.

That being said, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador will receive their increased rebates this April.

How much will Canadians receive?

For example, in April, a family of four will receive:

• $1,800 in Alberta ($450 quarterly);
• $1,200 in Manitoba ($300 quarterly);
• $1,120 in Ontario ($280 quarterly);
• $1,504 in Saskatchewan ($376 quarterly);
• $760 in New Brunswick ($190 quarterly);
• $824 in Nova Scotia ($206 quarterly);
• $880 in Prince Edward Island ($220 quarterly); and,
• $1,192 in Newfoundland and Labrador ($298 quarterly).

“When carbon pollution pricing is done right—as we are doing here in Canada—it effectively reduces emissions and makes life more affordable for Canadians by ensuring they receive more back than they pay,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:

In addition to the increase, the Canadian government is also proposing, through legislative amendments in Bill C-59, to double up the top-up for rural residents to 20%.

That means rural Canadians would receive extra money on top of the base Canada Carbon Rebate, “in recognition of their higher energy needs and more limited access to cleaner transportation options.”

This is just one of the many benefits coming to Canadians throughout the year.

Not everyone is eligible for every benefit. But if you’re like us and would love to know when you’ll be receiving these, click here.

The Canada Carbon Rebate will be issued in April 2024, July 2024, October 2024, and January 2025.