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Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses - Canada

Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses

Last Update: April 27, 2025
Canada
Refundable tax credit for eligible small Canadian-controlled corporations

Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses at a glance

Eligible Funding
  • No Condition
Timeline
  • Receipt of requests is now closed
Financing Type
Tax Credits
Eligible Industries
  • All industries
Grant Providers
  • Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
  • Government of Canada
Status
Closed

Overview of the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses program

The Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses is a refundable tax credit that returns a portion of federal fuel charge proceeds directly to eligible Canadian-controlled private corporations, based on the number of employees in designated provinces and applicable years (2019-2023). The maximum funding per employee varies by province and year, with amounts ranging from $26 to $271 per year, supporting small businesses impacted by the federal fuel charge.

Financing terms and conditions

  • The rebate amount is calculated by multiplying the number of employees in designated provinces by a fixed payment rate, which varies by province and year (e.g., from $26 to $271 per employee, depending on the province and year between 2019 and 2023).
  • The total rebate is paid as a single lump sum covering all eligible years.

Eligible projects & activities

  • Direct remuneration paid to privately held Canadian-controlled companies for employing personnel in designated provinces, as part of their ongoing activities subject to the federal fuel charge.
Examples of admissible projects:

$ 23,500

Upgrade of industrial machinery with automated energy monitoring devices

$ 16,100

Installation of high-efficiency heat pumps in a community center

$ 57,400

Acquisition of energy-efficient fleet vehicles for home delivery

$ 10,100

Development of a composting system for small urban farms

$ 39,900

Purchase and installation of a rooftop solar panel array

$ 42,000

Upgrade to LED lighting throughout a commercial office building

Eligibility criteria of the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses program

  • The applicant must be a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC), including eligible Indigenous CCPCs.
  • The corporation must have employed one or more persons in a designated province during the applicable year.
  • The total number of employees across Canada must be 499 or fewer during the applicable calendar year.
  • The corporation must have been a CCPC at all times during the applicable taxation year.
  • A 2023 corporate income tax return (T2) must be filed by the prescribed deadlines to qualify for retroactive payments.

Who is eligible?

  • Canadian-controlled private corporations (CCPCs), including Indigenous CCPCs
  • Subsidiaries of larger corporate groups, provided the subsidiary itself has 499 or fewer employees and a separate corporate tax account

Who is not eligible

  • Cooperatives and credit unions.
  • Companies that are not Canadian-controlled private corporations (CCPCs).
  • Businesses with over 499 employees in Canada during the applicable calendar year.

Eligible geographic areas

  • Alberta (for the years 2020 to 2023)
  • Saskatchewan (for the years 2019 to 2023)
  • Manitoba (for the years 2019 to 2023)
  • Ontario (for the years 2019 to 2023)
  • New Brunswick (for the year 2023)
  • Nova Scotia (for the year 2023)
  • Prince Edward Island (for the year 2023)
  • Newfoundland and Labrador (for the year 2023)

How to apply to the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses program

1
Check eligibility requirements
  • Verify that your corporation is a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC), including Indigenous CCPCs
  • Ensure your business employed at least one person in a designated province during the applicable calendar year
  • Confirm you had 499 or fewer employees across Canada during the applicable year
  • Check that cooperative and credit union structures are not eligible
2
File T2 corporate return
  • File your 2023 corporate income tax return (T2)
  • Submit no later than July 15, 2024, to receive timely payment
  • If filing after July 15, 2024, ensure submission is completed by December 31, 2024, for retroactive rebate eligibility (conditionally, subject to legislative approval)
3
Automatic assessment and calculation
  • No application is required; eligible businesses will be automatically assessed
  • The amount received is based on designated provinces, number of employees, and fixed federal fuel charge rates per year
4
Receive payment and resolve issues
  • Receive the payment automatically by direct deposit or cheque once eligibility and calculation are confirmed
  • If you do not receive the payment or the expected amount, verify eligibility, ensure T2 is filed, and check for outstanding debts
  • Contact the CRA for unresolved issues

Additional information

  • The Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses is automatically calculated and issued; no application is required if you qualify.
  • Under current legislation, the rebate is taxable and must be declared as government assistance on the T2 corporation income tax return for the year it is received.
  • If the law changes to make the rebate tax-free, the CRA will provide instructions for amending past returns.
  • Payments may be delayed for returns filed after July 15, 2024, or if there are issues such as outstanding tax debts or required business information updates.

Apply to this program

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