
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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