Minister Guilbeault pays visit to Gananoque, chats with residents about carbon tax rebate
Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault paid a brief visit to Gananoque on Tuesday, Oct. 15 to tout the carbon tax rebate and rural top-up.
Guilbeault stopped at the Pistachio Café at 90 King Street East, meeting with a small crowd of local residents and answering questions about the rebate program, climate change, and Canada’s role in curbing global pollution.
The visit was timed with the expected deposit of the rebate and the rural top-up into Canadians’ bank accounts that day. For a typical Kingston family of four, Guilbeault said, the estimated quarterly payment is $280, and the total payment (four quarterly payments) is estimated at $1,120 per year. For a Gananoque family, the government doubled the top-up for rural residents for the first time, from an additional 10 per cent of the base rebate to 20 per cent. Rural residents also received a second rural top-up to cover backdated April and July payments, according to Guilbeault.
Guilbeault said that the carbon tax is “about making sure that big polluters do their fair share” when it comes to reducing air pollution. “And we’re doing that for our kids and grandkids because of what’s happening with climate change,” he said, noting atmospheric rivers in British Columbia, heavy rain in Quebec and the two recent damaging hurricanes in Florida. “Climate change is here. It’s real, and it’s impacting Canadians and people all around the world.”
He said the tax is designed “to encourage certain behaviours and discourage others, but we didn’t want to impose that on regular Canadians, which is why we came up with the idea of a carbon rebate.” It is estimated that eight out of 10 families in Canada will get more money back than what they paid, according to a report last week by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), Guilbeault said.
The rural top-up, the minister said, is “because we recognize that there are challenges in rural Canada that you don’t necessarily have in urban areas – greater distances to travel by vehicles, sometimes less access to alternatives with transit.”
In addition to individuals and families, small businesses, such as the Pistachio Cafe, will also see rebates. Guilbeault estimated that as a company of 10 employees, it’ll likely see about $10,000 per year in rebates.
For Jenn Lund, co-owner of the Pistachio Café, said that was “very exciting” news, and that the rebate will provide some much needed relief.
“We’re still new. We started in 2021 so we’re still dealing with paying back the loans that helped us get where we are, and paying back the equipment.”
She added that the timing is “phenomenal…Gananoque is such a tourist town, so we’re very, very quiet in winter. It’s very hard to keep the doors open in the winter, so that is going to cushion really well.”
On the other side, Sam Lilly, press secretary for the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, believes the carbon tax will cost the average Ontarian an extra $903 per year by 2030. Citing the same PBO report, Lilly said in an email to Brockvilleist that “Trudeau’s carbon tax will cost Canadians $30.5 billion each year, nearly $2,000 per Canadian family, by 2030…The average household in each of the backstop provinces will see a net cost, paying more in the federal fuel charge and related Goods and Services Tax, as well as receiving lower incomes (due to the fuel charge), compared to the Canada Carbon Rebate they receive.”
Guilbeault addressed the PBO’s report on carbon pricing, re-issued with some corrections last week relating to the indirect costs of climate change such as more frequent repairs to infrastructure, and what the minister sees as benefits of carbon pricing such as the creation of new jobs.
Guilbeault also discussed Canada’s global responsibilities, noting that despite being a small contributor to global emissions, Canada is a significant oil and gas producer and is actively working internationally to reduce coal usage and combat climate change.
Lisa Gillin, a long time resident of Gananoque employee at Pistachio Café, was on hand for the event. She told Brockvilleist she believes carbon pricing is necessary “because our world, our climate, is changing. Although some people don’t think it is, it is, and I think it’s great that we’ve started working on it, because if we don’t, our grandchildren and their children are going to be dealing with the after effects.”
Gillin said receiving the rebate will likely make a difference to the average Canadian, but to what extent, she’s not certain. “It’ll make some difference. We’re living in strange times. I think due to Covid. It really changed our world, and people look at things differently.” As for herself, Gillin said she and her husband will discuss what to do with the rebate funds but will likely end up using the additional money for regular bills. “I mean, everything is more expensive now so it’s just that’s what it’ll go towards.”
According to the Minister Guilbeault’s office, in addition to the Carbon Tax Rebate, there are several other programs available to assist Canadians in reducing their carbon footprint, including the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program, and incentives for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles. For information on these programs can be found at:
https://natural-resources.canada.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/canada-greener-homes-initiative/24831