A Yorkton, Sask., woman was more than a little surprised to receive a $100 climate action dividend cheque from the B.C. government this month, especially since she has never lived there.

Sally Sibley has no idea how she ended up on the mailing list for the $100 cheques sent to B.C. residents in late June to soften the blow of the carbon tax that took effect July 1.

"If I got it, how many other people received one?" Sibley told CBC News Tuesday. "People in Alberta or anywhere could have gotten them. And I have never lived in B.C. in my life."

A spokesman for the Canada Revenue Agency, which is handling the payments for the province, said it is not sure why Sibley received the $100 payment but that it was an error.

Brad Alvarez said it is the only cheque that has gone to a non-resident, as far as the agency knows, although there have been several cases of former residents getting the money, he said.

Sibley plans to return her cheque. Alvarez hopes any others who receive a cheque they are not entitled to will do the same.

B.C.'s carbon tax taxes carbon-based fuels — including gasoline, diesel, natural gas and home heating fuel — at a rate of $10 per tonne of greenhouse gases generated, rising $5 a tonne for the next four years until it hits $30 per tonne in 2012.

Since the tax went into effect July 1, people in B.C. have been paying another 2.4 cents per litre for gasoline. The tax will increase to 7.24 cents per litre by 2012.

The government has said all carbon tax revenue — about $1.8 billion over three years — will be returned to British Columbians through reductions to income and business taxes.