CFIB: Feds holding billions in carbon taxes that should be returned to small businesses

Mar 14, 2024

OTTAWA — The federal government has been sitting on $2.5 billion in carbon tax revenue collected since 2019 despite repeated promises to return it to small businesses in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

The federal government pledged to return 10 % of carbon tax revenue back to small businesses, farmers and Indigenous people but has returned almost zero since the tax began. On top of that, the carbon tax is increasing to $80 per tonne on April 1.

“This is particularly troubling as the tax was expanded to all four Atlantic provinces in July of last year. There is no mechanism in place to return a dime to small businesses paying the federal carbon tax in eight provinces,” said CFIB president Dan Kelly. “No wonder some Indigenous organizations are taking the federal government to court.”

Making matters worse, CFIB estimates small businesses actually pay 40 % of the costs of the carbon tax, yet they are only supposed to receive up to 10 % of the revenue once Ottawa gets around to figuring out a way to return the dollars as promised.

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Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.