Filing Your Return -> Federal Climate Action Incentive

Line 45110 Climate Action Incentive (CAI) Refundable Tax Credit

Note: Before tax year 2019, line 45110 was line 449.

Income Tax Act s. 122.8

The Climate Action Incentive refundable tax credit was included in the 2018 Federal Budget and enacted for 2018 and later years as part of Bill C-86, Budget Implementation Act 2018, No. 2.

The CAI is claimed on the federal income tax return, and is calculated on Schedule 14 Climate Action Incentive. The CAI is included in the Detailed Canadian Tax Calculator, near the bottom of the calculator. The CAI amount must be entered by the user (as a negative amount) and is not checked. The amounts to be claimed for 2021 on the 2020 tax return are shown below.

The only provinces for whom this credit was available for 2020 (on the 2019 tax return) were:

	Alberta
	Manitoba
	Ontario, and
	Saskatchewan

The same provinces have the credit available for 2021, on the 2020 tax return.

These provinces have not adopted the federal system for pricing carbon pollution, or their systems do not meet the federal standard for reducing carbon pollution. For those jurisdictions that have voluntarily adopted the federal system, direct proceeds will be directly returned to the governments of those jurisdictions.

The amounts of the CAI for the 2022, to be claimed on the 2021 tax return, won't be announced until December 2021.

Who is Not Eligible:

	non-resident of Canada at any time in the tax year (i.e., 2019 for 2020 CAI)
	those confined to a prison or similar institution for a period of at least 90 days during the tax year
	those exempt in Canada at any time in the tax year due to being an officer or servant of the government of another county, such as a diplomat, a family member who resided with such a person, or an employee of such a person
	person in respect of whom a children's special allowance (CSA) was payable at any time in the tax year
	taxpayers who died before April 1 of the year following the tax year (i.e., before April 1 2021 for 2020 CAI claimed on the 2020 tax return).

Who is Eligible:

Only residents of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario or Saskatchewan on December 31 of the taxation year are eligible, and the resident must meet one of the following criteria at that time:

	18 years of age or older, or
	had a spouse or common-law partner, or
	is a parent who lives with their child

If there are adult children age 18+ in the household they should file their own tax return in order to claim the full adult climate action incentive, as well as to receive the GST/HST credit if they are eligible.

Climate Action Incentive Payment Amounts 2021

- claimed on the 2020 tax return

		Ontario	Alberta	Manitoba	Saskatchewan
A	Single adult, or first adult in a couple¹	$300	$490	$360	$500
B	Second adult in a couple², or first child of a single parent	150	245	180	250
C	Each child under 18³ (starting with the 2nd child for single parents)	75	123	90	125

1 Referred to as a qualified individual in the legislation.
2 Referred to as a qualified relation in the legislation.
3 Referred to as a qualified dependant in the legislation.

Government announcements:

Climate Action Incentive payment amounts for 2021 (2020 tax return)

Climate Action Incentive payment amounts for 2020 (2019 tax return)

Climate Action Incentive payment amounts for 2019 (2018 tax return)

CAI payment amounts for subsequent years will be specified by the Minister of Finance.

CAI Calculation Example for a Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children)

	Ontario	Alberta	Manitoba	Saskatchewan
Baseline amount (A + B + 2 x C)	$600.00	$981.00	$720.00	$1,000.00
10% Supplement¹ for residents of small and rural communities	60.00	98.10	72.00	100.00
Payment amount for family of 4 in small/rural communities	$660.00	$1,079.10	$792.00	$1,100.00

1 10% Supplement - see next section

Climate Action Incentive 10% Supplement for Residents of Small and Rural Communities

If you reside outside of a census metropolitan area (CMA) on December 31, as defined by Statistics Canada, then you are eligible for a 10% supplement to the baseline amount of the CAI.

See the Canada Revenue (CRA) information Find out if you qualify for the 10% supplement for residents of small and rural communities