File photo: Marek Piwnicki/Unsplash
The inaugural rebate for 2024 under the federal government’s carbon pricing initiative, the Climate Action Incentive payment, has been announced for eligible Canadians residing in select provinces. Distributed quarterly, these carbon tax refund payments extend to all tax-filing adult households in eight provinces subject to the federal carbon tax: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
As per Environment and Climate Change Canada, families of four in these provinces can anticipate receiving the Climate Action Incentive payment in the following amounts:
- $386 in Alberta
- $264 in Manitoba
- $184 in New Brunswick
- $328 in Newfoundland and Labrador
- $248 in Nova Scotia
- $244 in Ontario
- $240 in Prince Edward Island
- $340 in Saskatchewan
Carbon Tax Rebate payments for the 2023-24 period will be distributed as follows:
Residents of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan will receive four uniform quarterly payments (April 2023, July 2023, October 2023, and January 2024) due to their coverage under the existing federal price on pollution.
For residents in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, where the federal fuel charge takes effect from July 1, 2023, they will receive three equal quarterly payments (July 2023, October 2023, and January 2024) during the 2023-24 fiscal year. Subsequently, they will receive four payments in the following year.
Commencing this week, Canadians can expect to see these rebate payments arriving in their bank accounts and mailboxes. Highlighting the significance of these rebates, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, emphasized that eight out of 10 families will receive more in rebates than they pay. He underscored the role of these payments in alleviating the financial burden on families, aligning with the government’s broader initiatives such as the Canada Child Benefit, childcare, grocery rebates, dental and rental support, among others.
Guilbeault emphasized that the federal pollution pricing system not only addresses the everyday affordability challenges faced by Canadians but also plays a pivotal role in the government’s strategy to combat climate change, contributing significantly to the overall emissions reduction goal.
Do note- to qualify for their CAI payment, Canadians must submit their yearly tax return.