The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is accusing the federal government of adding insult to injury after learning that the long-overdue small business carbon rebate will be taxed.

The CFIB has long lobbied government for its promised rebate to small business.

CFIB President Dan Kelly calls word that the rebate when it finally arrives will be taxed, “deeply offensive” to small business.

“The journey to get the rebate out of Ottawa for small businesses from the carbon tax has been enormously long, five years. And now, at the 11th hour, not published anywhere in any document on the Government of Canada’s website, is the fact that—which we have had confirmed—that they will levy corporate income taxes on the small business rebates that they start to issue in December.”