Lower and Middle income Albertan’s receive carbon levy rebates

The Alberta Government has rolled out the carbon levy rebates with over 1.13 million Albertan’s receiving theirs since that start of the year.
“Albertans are already seeing direct and indirect benefits of the Climate Leadership Plan,” said Minister Shannon Phillips the Minister responsible for the program in a press release, “these rebates represent $138 million that will help Albertans and circulate back through our economy.”
The rebates are being deposited with direct deposit to those who use direct deposit for filing their taxes and in the form of mailed cheques to anyone who doesn’t.
Eligibility for the rebate is tied to one’s income and not their energy use. The government chose to structure the rebate this way to give eligible recipients a financial incentive to reduce their household energy use
The rebate is issued automatically based upon a person’s income tax return.
The Carbon Levy, commonly referred to as the carbon tax, has been promoted by the government as being the most cost-effective method to reduce Alberta’s climate change causing greenhouse gas emissions.
The levy, which came into effect on Jan. 1 of this year charges $20 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions created by combusted fuels. The Levy will increase to $30 per tonne in 2018.
Fuels such as diesel, gasoline, natural gas and propane will all be effected by the levy.
Electricity is exempt from the levy.
The government has said that all of the revenue from the levy will be invested in Alberta and used to diversify and grow the economy.
Alberta’s opposition parties have been vocally opposed to the levy since it was announced.
The Wildrose party have claimed that the levy will cost an average Alberta household $1000 per year. They have also stated that millions of dollars will leave the province to the federal government in the form of GST on the increased price of fuel.
The Wildrose also oppose the levy as being harmful to Alberta’s ability to compete with the U.S.
Albertan’s interested in more information about the rebate qualifications and eligible amounts can use the governments online rebate calculator at https://www.alberta.ca/calculate-carbon-levy-rebate-and-costs.aspx.
For more information on the carbon levy or the rebate the government is encouraging Albertans to call a toll-free government hotline 310-0000.
Specific questions about the rebate should be directed to the Canada Revenue Agency’s dedicated line at 1-800-959-2809.