Climate Action Tax Credit

Last Updated: May 21, 2020

The B.C. climate action tax credit (BCCATC) helps offset the impact of the carbon taxes paid by individuals or families.

The climate action tax credit payments are non-taxable. This means that you don't include it as income when you file your income tax return.

You're eligible to receive the credit if you're a resident of B.C. and you:

• are 19 years of age or older, or
• have a spouse or common-law partner, or
• are a parent who resides with your child.

If you are eligible for the climate action tax credit, you will receive the credit payment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The credit payment is combined with the federal goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit into one quarterly payment.

The payments are issued four times a year in July, October, January and April. Generally, the payments are made on the fifth day of the month. For a list of all payment dates, visit the CRA website.

To be able to receive each quarterly payment, you must be a resident of B.C. on both the first day of that quarter and the first day of the previous quarter. For example, to get the October payment, you must have been a resident of B.C. on both October 1 and July 1.  

Only one person can receive the credit on behalf of the family.

You can use the CRA’s Child and Family Benefits Calculator to estimate your total benefit payment for all child and family benefits you may be eligible for, including the climate action tax credit.

Note: The calculator is not updated to reflect the one-time enhanced July 2020 payment for the July 2020 to June 2021 benefit year.

Credit Amounts

How much you receive depends on the size of your family and your adjusted family net income.

The maximum annual credit is determined by adding:

• the adult amount for the tax year for yourself,
• the adult amount for the tax year for your spouse or common-law partner, and
• the child amount for the tax year for each child.

The first child in a single parent family will receive the adult amount instead of the child amount.

If your adjusted family net income is below a certain threshold amount for the tax year, you will receive the maximum credit. If your adjusted family net income is above the threshold amount, the credit is reduced by 2% of the adjusted family net income above the threshold until the credit becomes zero.

You will generally receive one-quarter of the annual climate action tax credit each quarter. If your annual credit is less than $40 you will receive the entire annual credit in one lump sum payment at the beginning of the benefit year.

Payments for the July 2019 to June 2020 Benefit Year

The payments made in July 2019, October 2019, January 2020 and April 2020 are based on your adjusted family net income for the 2018 tax year.

The maximum annual climate action tax credit payment amounts are:

• $154.50 each for you and your spouse or common-law partner (or the first child in a single parent family)
• $45.50 each for all other children

The following table shows the income threshold amount and the income amount where the credit is reduced to zero for some common family configurations.

	Adjusted Family Net Income Threshold Amount	Reduced Credit if Adjusted Family Net Income is Between	Adjusted Family Net Income Where Credit is Reduced to Zero
Single	$34,876	$34,876 and $42,601	$42,601 or more
Married or common-law with no children	$40,689	$40,689 and $56,139	$56,139 or more
Married or common-law with one child	$40,689	$40,689 and $58,414	$58,414 or more
Married or common-law with two children	$40,689	$40,689 and $60,689	$60,689 or more
Married or common-law with three children	$40,689	$40,689 and $62,964	$62,964 or more
Single parent with one child	$40,689	$40,689 and $56,139	$56,139 or more
Single parent with two children	$40,689	$40,689 and $58,414	$58,414 or more
Single parent with three children	$40,689	$40,689 and $60,689	$60,689 or more

The maximum annual climate action tax credit payment amounts will increase:

• Effective July 1, 2020 to $348.50 for the adult amount and $102.25 for the child amount. This includes the one-time enhanced July 2020 payment.

• Effective July 1, 2021 to $193.50 for the adult amount and $56.50 for the child amount

Previous Payments

Expand the section below to see credit amount details for previous tax years.

Claiming the Credit

For the 2014 and subsequent tax years, you don't need to apply for the B.C. climate action tax credit. When you file your income tax return, the CRA will determine your eligibility and advise you if you are eligible to receive the credit.

If you have a spouse or common-law partner, only one of you can receive the credit. The credit will be paid to the person whose return is assessed first. The amount of the credit will be the same regardless of which one of you receives it.

For tax years before 2014, you or your spouse or common-law partner can apply for the climate action tax credit when you file your income tax return with the CRA. On page 1 of your return, check the "Yes" box in the GST/HST credit application area.

The CRA will calculate your credit entitlement automatically based on the information you filed on your income tax return.

If you have a spouse or common-law partner, be sure to complete the information concerning your spouse or common-law partner in the Identification area on page 1. Include their net income, even if it is zero, and enter their social insurance number.

To receive the credit for your children under the age of 18, they must be registered for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). If your children are not registered for the CCB, complete the Canada Child Benefits Application form (RC66) or use the Apply for child benefits online service on the CRA's My Account.

The CRA may need to recalculate your credit entitlement if:

• you move
• your marital status changes
• the number of children in your care changes
• a credit recipient has died

You must notify the CRA if any of these situations apply.

If you have received an overpayment, you will need to repay it. For information on how to pay a balance owing, see benefit repayments or contact the CRA at 1 800 387-1193.

Legislation

The following legislation applies to the climate action tax credit.

• Income Tax Act (B.C.) Section 8.1
• Climate Action Tax Credit Regulation