Navigating Through Change: Carbon Rebate Fee
The Carbon Rebate Fee is a nominal charge added to every Vacu-Man invoice to help fund our ongoing environmental commitments — things like cleaner equipment and greener operations across our duct cleaning and furnace service fleet. We introduced it in April 2024, when the federal carbon tax rose 23%, adding real cost to running our trucks and equipment. That federal fuel charge was eliminated across Canada on April 1, 2025. The fee itself hasn’t been — because the environmental work it funds was never just about one tax. It’s part of how my family has run this business for over 45 years.
Why We Introduced the Carbon Rebate Fee
Our path toward lower emissions didn’t start with this fee. Going paperless in 2019 was one of our first concrete steps — cutting our reliance on printing and moving to digital-first operations across the business. But cleaning trucks and blowers still run on diesel and unleaded fuel, and that’s where the bigger challenge sits.
We’ve looked seriously at hydrogen-powered vehicles and renewable fuel options for our fleet. Right now, the technology isn’t there yet for the kind of daily-use, heavy equipment duct and furnace cleaning requires. The Carbon Rebate Fee exists to bridge that gap: it helps offset the higher cost of operating diesel and gas equipment today, while funding research into cleaner alternatives as they become viable.
How the Fee Applies to Your Invoice
The Carbon Rebate Fee is a small, flat charge added to invoices across our services, including Residential Duct Cleaning, Commercial Duct Cleaning, and Furnace Cleaning. It isn’t tied to the federal carbon tax anymore — that levy no longer applies in Ontario as of April 2025 — but it continues because the environmental investment it supports is ongoing. We review the fee periodically alongside our operating costs and initiatives, and we’ll update this page if that ever changes.
Our Commitment to Hamilton, Burlington, and Oakville
When my father started this business in 1979, he built it on dedication, quality service, and community engagement. That’s still true today for the neighbours we serve across Hamilton, Burlington, and Oakville, and the mission has simply grown to include the planet we all share.
The Carbon Rebate Fee is one small part of that bigger commitment. As cleaner technology becomes practical for the equipment our work depends on, we’ll keep investing in it — and we’ll keep being upfront with our customers about why, and what it actually costs to get there.
Carbon Rebate Fee: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Carbon Rebate Fee?
It’s a nominal charge Vacu-Man adds to invoices to help offset the cost of running diesel and gas-powered cleaning equipment responsibly, and to fund our ongoing environmental initiatives.
Why does Vacu-Man still charge the Carbon Rebate Fee now that the carbon tax has ended?
The federal carbon tax that originally prompted the fee ended April 1, 2025. We’ve kept the fee because it funds real, ongoing environmental work — cleaner equipment research and greener operations — that was never tied to any one tax.
How much is the Carbon Rebate Fee?
It’s a small, flat amount added per invoice. Contact us directly for the exact amount that applies to your service.
Is the Carbon Rebate Fee mandatory?
Yes — it’s applied automatically as part of standard invoice pricing across our services, the same way a fuel or environmental surcharge would be by other service companies.
Does the Carbon Rebate Fee apply to all Vacu-Man services?
Yes, it applies across our residential and commercial duct cleaning, furnace cleaning, and dryer vent cleaning services.
This page reflects Vacu-Man’s fee structure and environmental practices as of publication. Fees and initiatives are reviewed periodically and may change; we’ll update this page when they do.