As of today, Canadians will experience a hike in the national price on pollution, with an additional $15 per tonne being added to carbon costs.
This increase will have tangible effects on everyday expenses, touching everything from transportation to home heating. For instance, filling a 50 litre gas tank will now come with an extra charge of $1.65.
Similarly, households relying on natural gas for heating can anticipate an increase of approximately $5.40 in their monthly bills.
The adjustment doesn’t stop there; the federal government is also updating the Canada Carbon Rebate to align with these higher carbon costs. Starting from the next payment cycle on April 15, families across the country will see changes in their quarterly rebate amounts. In Alberta, for instance, households of four can expect a substantial $64 increase, while those in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan will see a rise of around $36.
It’s worth noting that while B.C. and the Northwest Territories currently have similar carbon charges for consumers, Quebec operates under a distinct cap-and-trade system. However, Ottawa considers Quebec’s system equivalent in terms of both cost and emission reductions, ensuring a unified approach to tackling climate change across the nation.
Additionally – today the federal minimum wage rises to $17.30 per hour, up from $16.65, in line with a 3.9% increase in Canada’s annual Consumer Price Index for 2023. Around 30,000 federally regulated private sector employees will see this increase in pay.
