what Ontarians need to know

The first of four Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR) payments this year is set to hit Canadians’ wallets on Wednesday.

Canadians living in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and all four Atlantic provinces will receive the payment if they filed their 2023 taxes. These are sent out every three months to eligible Canadians, with the following payments scheduled in April, July and October.

This credit, formerly called the Climate Action Incentive Payment, is intended to help Canadians offset the costs of the federal government’s pollution rates, says the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). ONE The report of the head of the budget of the Folketingpublished in October 2024, revealed that when the tax implications are considered, the average household will receive more from the rebate than what they pay in fuel duty and associated GST.

READ MORE: Poilievre, Guilbeault claim victory after federal budget watchdog’s updated carbon tax report

Here’s what Ontarians need to know about this year’s payments.

How much will I get from living in Ontario?

Eligible Canadians will receive somewhere between $95 and $225, while Ontarians will receive a base payment of $140, up from $122 from last year’s rebates.

Ontarian households will receive an additional $70 for a second adult and $35 for each child under 19. The federal government says the average family of four in the province can expect a quarterly payment of $280.

Small towns and rural residents will receive an additional 20 percent on top of the base rebate amount, the government says, because of their increased energy needs and lack of access to cleaner transportation.

The federal government notes that these payments are adjusted each year to match the cost of pollution.

How to get your payments

Canadian residents do not need to apply for these rebates, but they do need to file their income tax and benefit returns so the government will send them the money they are entitled to.

Only one person in a marriage or civil partnership will receive the payment for the whole family, which is typically paid to whoever files their return first.

Newcomers to Canada who meet certain eligibility requirements can also receive the CCR as long as the required forms are completed and sent to a tax centre. Those who do not meet the requirements can also fill out forms to apply for the discount.

To continue receiving the payment, Canadians must file an income tax and benefit return each year – even if there is no income to report.

Anyone who does not receive their rebate on Wednesday is asked to wait 10 working days before contacting them CRA.

The future of CCR payments

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre promises to “cut taxes” if elected in the next federal election (due in October) – raising the question of what will happen to CCR payments if he becomes Canada’s 24th. prime minister.

The Tory leader has blamed the carbon tax on the Liberal government to push up the cost of food and fuel while denying or ignoring the claimed benefits, including these discounts.

Based on ballot tracking by Nano research last month, Poilievre’s Conservatives held a comfortable majority of 42 per cent across Canada, showing favoritism to the Tories, while the Liberals and NDP are within each other’s margin of error at 23 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.

In Ontario, Nanos’ polls revealed that traditionally red strongholds like the GTA are increasingly turning blue or are too close to call.

With files from CTVNews.ca’s Phil Hahn and The Canadian Press