Alberta small businesses to get $159M in returned carbon tax rebates next month – DiscoverAirdrie.com

Eligible Alberta small businesses will receive $159.5 million in returned Canada Carbon Rebate funds in December, according to a Nov. 14 press release from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

CFIB says in the release that it “welcomes Ottawa’s confirmation that the remaining $623 million in the Canada Carbon Rebate payments for 2024-25 will soon be returned to small businesses.”

The release says the returned funds will be issued automatically by the Canada Revenue Agency to 600,000 small firms in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. CFIB said the “average small business [is] to receive $1,000.”

Dan Kelly, CFIB president, said in the release: “This is good news for small businesses who have been waiting for the money they’re owed. After another challenging year, small firms could really use this chunk of cash.”

Kelly added, “But there’s still work to be done. We’re calling on Ottawa to act quickly and pass legislation to ensure the rebates are tax-free and to deliver on government’s promise to extend the original filing deadline so that more small firms can qualify.”

The release states: “Legislation to proceed with these changes is proposed in the 2025 budget.”

Kelly said in the release: “This will end the long battle against the consumer/small business carbon tax.”

According to the release, the government “finally dispersed $2.5 billion in December 2024” after “stalling on paying promised rebates for small businesses for five years,” which it states “represented only a fraction of the total carbon tax revenue paid by small firms.”

Kelly added: “It is a relief that the government has cancelled this carbon tax and delivered on the final annual installment to small firms.”

The release adds: “Consumers received their final quarterly rebate in April of this year.”

The release states: “Rebates will be based on the number of T4s issued by an employer.”

The release lists the following totals and example rebate amounts for an employer with 10 full-time or part-time employees:

• Alberta: $159.5 million — $1,200

• Saskatchewan: $42 million — $1,530

• Manitoba: $34.3 million — $1,110

• Ontario: $338.6 million — $980

• New Brunswick: $13.4 million — $690

• Nova Scotia: $18.3 million — $780

• Prince Edward Island: $2.9 million — $560

• Newfoundland and Labrador: $14.1 million — $1,270

Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB executive vice-president of advocacy, said in the release: “While the federal carbon tax has been unfair to small businesses from the start, small firms will finally receive some relief and long-awaited clarity. This wouldn’t have happened without CFIB’s relentless advocacy. We held the government accountable by having over 200 meetings with officials, getting provincial premiers on board and collecting over 27,000 signed petitions.”

She added: “This is a final win for small businesses who paid into the carbon tax system for years without seeing a dime in return.”

The release states:

“The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings.”

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