Canadians urged to file outstanding returns for possible carbon rebate

The Canada Revenue Agency says eligible people who have not filed income tax and benefit returns for 2021 through 2024 should do so soon, as they may be able to receive missed Canada Carbon Rebate payments once those returns are filed and assessed.

Bill C-31 proposes Oct. 30 as the deadline for filing outstanding returns to receive missing payments. The amount varies by province and household size. For 2024-25, a family of four could receive as much as $1,779 in Alberta; rural households may also qualify for a top-up.

The rebate is available for prior years to eligible residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. It is not available to residents of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec or Yukon.

Eligibility is generally for people aged 19 or older in the month before payment, with some exceptions for younger people who have or had a spouse or common-law partner, or who are parents living with their child. The CRA advises residents to ensure applicable returns have been filed and assessed, since eligibility was determined through the tax-filing process.