Climate Action Incentive Payments increased for 2022-23
Mar. 25, 2021
Global Korean Post
The Government of Canada announced the 2022-23 Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payment amounts.
In 2022-23, the increased CAI payments announced today mean a family of four will receive $745 in Ontario, $832 in Manitoba, $1,101 in Saskatchewan, and $1,079 in Alberta.
Families in rural and small communities are eligible to receive an extra 10 per cent. Full details on payment amounts for individuals and families in 2022-23 are specified in the backgrounder.
In Budget 2021, the government proposed to change CAI payments from a refundable credit claimed annually on personal income tax returns to quarterly payments made through the benefit system.
Starting this July with a “double-up” payment for the first two quarters of the 2022-23 fuel charge year (April-June and July-September), followed by single quarterly payments in October and January, CAI payments will be delivered on this more regular basis.
CAI payments mean some 8 out of 10 families receive more money back than they pay in direct costs under this system, with families that earn less benefitting the most, on average.
The 2022-23 CAI payment amounts represent an increase relative to the 2021-22 CAI payment amounts specified last year and claimed through 2020 personal income tax returns.
To ensure that carbon pollution pricing remains affordable for Canadians, the federal government returns all proceeds to the jurisdictions where they were collected, with the majority of proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system returned directly to Canadians through CAI payments.
Under the federal pollution pricing system, the government applies a price on pollution in jurisdictions that do not have a system of their own that meets the federal stringency requirements — specifically Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
In those jurisdictions, approximately 90 per cent of direct proceeds from carbon pollution pricing are returned to residents of those provinces through CAI payments.
The other 10 per cent is used to support farmers, small businesses, Indigenous groups, schools, universities, and municipalities. No funds collected are retained by the federal government.
The government introduced a price on carbon pollution across Canada in 2019 and it does not keep any direct proceeds from carbon pollution pricing.
