BC low-and middle-class families get climate action tax credit this week

This week, nearly 50 per cent of families in British Columbia will receive their climate action tax credit.

The BC government says that on Friday, eligible families will see the first of four instalments on the newly expanded credit.  According to a press release from the Horgan government, families of four will receive up to $400 over the next year, and up to $500 starting in 2020 when the credit will be nearly 70 per cent higher than it was in 2017.

In the 2017 Budget Update, the BC government took additional steps to cut the province’s carbon emissions, including increasing the carbon tax on April 1, 2018, by $5 per tonne of CO2 equivalent emissions.

At the same time, the government also increased the climate action tax credit to support low- and middle-income families.

Effective this month, the maximum annual climate action tax credit will increase to $154.50 per adult and to $45.50 per child.  Beginning in July 2020, the maximum will be boosted to $174 per adult and $51 per child and effective July 2021, the maximum credit for an adult will rise to $193.50 per adult and $56.50 per child.

Single-parent families will continue to receive the adult amount for the first child in the family.

The BC NDP government says the climate action tax credit offsets the province’s carbon tax and helps low- and middle-income families as the province transitions to a cleaner, greener economy.

This is the second increase to the tax credit since it was last expanded in September 2017.

According to the press release “Expanding the credit is an important part of government’s commitment to make life more affordable for everyone in B.C., while continuing to meet climate change goals under the Province’s CleanBC plan to reduce carbon pollution, drive sustainable growth and protect B.C.’s clean air, land and water.”