You may be required to pay a charge under section 38 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act if you hold fuel in a listed province at the beginning of an adjustment day and the fuel charge amount for a specific fuel type is $1,000 or more.

The first adjustment days (commencement days) were:

April 1, 2019 for the following listed provinces:

• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Ontario
• Saskatchewan

July 1, 2019 for the following listed provinces:

• Nunavut
• Yukon

January 1, 2020 for the following listed province:

• Alberta

July 1, 2023 for the following listed provinces:

• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island

Subsequent to their commencement date, adjustment days for all listed provinces are April 1 of each year up to and including 2030. New Brunswick ceased to be a listed province on April 1, 2020, and became a listed province again on July 1, 2023. As a result, New Brunswick is not subject to the following adjustment days:

• April 1, 2020
• April 1, 2021
• April 1, 2022

Who has to pay a charge

A charge may be payable if you hold a quantity of a type of fuel in a listed province at the beginning of an adjustment day and the fuel charge amount for a specific fuel type is $1,000 or more.

Exceptions

A charge does not apply on a quantity of a type of fuel held by you on an adjustment day if it was delivered to you by a registered distributor and one of the following applies:

• You are a registered emitter and the fuel is held at, or is in transit to, your covered facilities
• You are a registered user for that type of fuel and an exemption certificate applies in respect of the delivery in accordance with section 36 of the Act
• You are a farmer, the fuel is a qualifying farming fuel, and an exemption certificate applies in respect of the delivery in accordance with section 36 of the Act
• You are a fisher, the fuel is a qualifying fishing fuel, and an exemption certificate applies in respect of the delivery in accordance with section 36 of the Act
• You are a remote power plant operator that generates electricity exclusively for remote communities if the fuel is light fuel oil (diesel) and marketable natural gas and an exemption certificate applies in respect of the delivery in accordance with the fuel charge regulations, 2018, c. 12, s. 87

Charge not payable

If the fuel charge amount for a specific fuel type in a listed province is less than $1,000, you are not required to report or pay the charge.

A charge is not payable on a quantity of a type of fuel held by you at the beginning of an adjustment day in a listed province if you are:

• a registered distributor for that type of fuel
• a registered specified air carrier for that type of fuel
• a registered specified marine carrier for that type of fuel
• a registered specified rail carrier for that type of fuel

A charge is also not payable on fuel that is, in accordance with the Ships' Stores Regulations, designated as ships' stores for use on board a conveyance of a class prescribed under those regulations.

For more information, see Fuel Charge Notice FCN3, Annual Charge on Fuel Held in a Listed Province on Adjustment Day.

How to report and calculate the charge for fuel held on adjustment day

If you are required to pay a charge on fuel held at the beginning of an adjustment day, fill out Form B402, Fuel Charge Return for Fuel Held in a Listed Province on Adjustment Day, to report the charge.

You also have to fill out Form B402-1, Fuel Charge Return Schedule for Fuel Held in a Listed Province on Adjustment Day, to calculate your total charge. If you hold fuel in more than one listed province, you will need to complete one schedule for each listed province.

You can file your completed return and schedules electronically using the "Submit documents" function in My Business Account. Select "Submit Fuel Charge registration form or supporting documents."

You can also send these forms by mail to the following address:

Sudbury Tax Centre
Fuel Charge Program
Post Office Box 20000, Station A
Sudbury ON P3A 5C1

When to send the fuel charge return for fuel held on adjustment day

You must send the return and the applicable schedules by the end of the calendar month that follows the month in which the adjustment day occurs. For example, returns for fuel held on the adjustment day on April 1, 2019, were due by May 31, 2019.

When the CRA receives your first Form B402, Fuel Charge Return for Fuel Held in a Listed Province on Adjustment Day, and you are not registered for the fuel charge, you will be assigned a fuel charge account number for use with any future filing of this type of return. If you are already registered, you will be assigned a new program account for use with any future filing of this type of return. This fuel charge account number will be displayed on your Notice of Assessment.

How to pay the charge

Your payment is due at the same time as your return. For more information on which method you can use, see Payment options for the type of payment you are making.