Ottawa cuts cheque for small businesses
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Small business owners across Manitoba could soon see long-awaited carbon tax rebates land in their bank accounts, as Ottawa prepares to release $623 million owed to nearly 600,000 businesses nationwide, including thousands here at home who might expect roughly $1,100 for a 10-person operation.
The federal government will soon distribute the remaining $623 million in carbon tax rebate payments owed to small businesses for 2024–25, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Roughly 600,000 small firms across eight provinces are expected to receive payments, with amounts varying by province and based on the number of employees on payroll.
“This is good news for small businesses who have been waiting for the money they’re owed,” said CFIB president Dan Kelly in a statement. “After another challenging year, small firms could really use this chunk of cash.”
Ottawa will return $623 million in long-delayed carbon tax rebates to small businesses across eight provinces, with a typical 10-employee Manitoba firm estimated to receive about $1,100. (Supplied)
While welcoming the long-awaited payout, Kelly said the federal government still needs to move quickly to finalize legislative changes that would ensure the rebates are tax-free and extend the eligibility filing deadline, which would allow more small firms to qualify. The federal government has proposed those changes as part of the 2025 budget.
The announcement marks what Kelly described as the end of a “long battle” over how carbon tax rebates were handled for businesses. After years of pressure and delays, Ottawa issued $2.5 billion to small businesses in December 2024 — still only a portion of what CFIB argues was collected from small firms through carbon pricing.
“It is a relief that the government has cancelled this carbon tax and delivered on the final annual installment to small firms,” Kelly said, noting that consumers received their final quarterly rebate in April.
Rebates will be calculated using the number of T4s issued by each employer, and the Canada Revenue Agency will distribute payments automatically to businesses in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
CFIB executive vice-president of advocacy Corinne Pohlmann credited the organization’s campaign for securing the final payments and policy changes.
“This wouldn’t have happened without CFIB’s relentless advocacy,” she said, noting more than 200 meetings with officials, support from provincial premiers, and 27,000 petition signatures. “This is a final win for small businesses who paid into the carbon tax system for years without seeing a dime in return.”
» Winnipeg Sun