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Climate Action Incentive 2026 | CAI Payment Amounts by Province

Updated

Climate Action Incentive (CAI)

Quarterly payments to offset federal carbon pricing in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

2025-2026 Annual Amounts

By Province - Family of Four

ProvinceBase AmountRural Top-UpTotal Annual
Alberta$772+$77$849
Saskatchewan$680+$68$748
Manitoba$528+$53$581
Ontario$488+$49$537

By Individual Type

ProvinceSingleSpousePer ChildRural Bonus
Alberta$386+$193+$97+10%
Saskatchewan$340+$170+$85+10%
Manitoba$264+$132+$66+10%
Ontario$244+$122+$61+10%

Quarterly Payment Amounts

Ontario

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Single$244$61
Couple$366$92
Couple + 1 child$427$107
Couple + 2 children$488$122
Single parent + 2$366$92

With rural supplement (+10%):

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Couple + 2 children$537$134

Alberta

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Single$386$97
Couple$579$145
Couple + 1 child$676$169
Couple + 2 children$772$193

With rural supplement (+10%):

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Couple + 2 children$849$212

Saskatchewan

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Single$340$85
Couple$510$128
Couple + 1 child$595$149
Couple + 2 children$680$170

With rural supplement (+10%):

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Couple + 2 children$748$187

Manitoba

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Single$264$66
Couple$396$99
Couple + 1 child$462$116
Couple + 2 children$528$132

With rural supplement (+10%):

Family TypeAnnualQuarterly
Couple + 2 children$581$145

Payment Dates 2025-2026

QuarterPayment Date
Q1April 15, 2025
Q2July 15, 2025
Q3October 15, 2025
Q4January 15, 2026

If the 15th falls on a weekend, payment is the prior business day

Rural Supplement Eligibility

CriteriaDetails
Living outside CMACensus Metropolitan Area
Auto-determinedBased on postal code
Supplement10% of base amount
No application neededAutomatic

CAI Amount Increases Over Time

As carbon pricing increases, so does CAI:

YearCarbon PriceApprox. CAI (ON, family 4)
2023$65/tonne$386
2024$80/tonne$420
2025$95/tonne$488
2026$110/tonne~$560 (projected)

Who Gets CAI

EligibleNot Eligible
ON, AB, SK, MB residentsBC, Quebec, Atlantic (different systems)
Age 19+Under 19 (unless parent/married)
File tax returnNon-filers
Any income level

CAI Not Taxable

FactorTreatment
CAI payment receivedTax-free
Must reportNo
Affects other benefitsNo
ClawbackNone

Combined Federal Benefits (Quarterly)

BenefitOntario Family (2 kids)
GST/HST Credit$260
Climate Action Incentive$122
Total Federal Quarterly$382
Annual$1,528

What to do if you are not receiving CAI

If you live in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba and are not receiving CAI:

IssueSolution
You have not filed your tax returnFile your return — CAI is paid based on your filed return. Non-filers receive nothing.
CRA does not have your current bank informationUpdate direct deposit in My CRA Account or call 1-800-387-1193
You just moved to an eligible provinceYou will receive CAI starting after CRA processes your next tax return showing your new province
You are under 19 with no spouse or childYou do not qualify unless you are married, common-law, or a parent
Moved mid-year from a non-eligible provinceCRA pays based on province of residence on April 1 of the benefit year

What about provinces with their own carbon pricing systems?

British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick have their own provincial carbon pricing or cap-and-trade systems. Residents of these provinces do not receive the federal CAI.

Instead, revenue from provincial systems may be returned through provincial programs — for example, BC returns carbon tax revenue through the BC Climate Action Tax Credit, paid quarterly alongside the GST/HST credit.

ProvinceFederal CAI?Provincial equivalent
OntarioYesFederal CAI only
AlbertaYesFederal CAI only
SaskatchewanYesFederal CAI only
ManitobaYesFederal CAI only
British ColumbiaNoBC Climate Action Tax Credit
QuebecNoProceeds fund GreenFund programs
Atlantic provincesNoProvincial pricing/rebate systems