Premier Jason Kenney said the province will extend the previously announced $50 rebate on electricity bills for another three months. “We know Albertans are struggling with the rising cost of living, especially with energy inflation driving so much,” Kenney told Global News on Tuesday, before the province publicly announced the rebate extension on Wednesday. “We’re hearing from Albertans that more needs to be done to help them deal with this cost-of-living crisis. So we’re extending for another three months, the $50 a month discount that people will get on their electricity bill. “This will go to almost two million households.”
Read more: Alberta electricity rebates to begin in July
Story continues below ad The province announced earlier this year that more than 1.9 million homes, farms and small businesses in Alberta will receive monthly credits of $50 on their July, August and September electricity bills — for a total of $150. Now, eligible Albertans will also see that $50 discount for a total of six months, until December. “That’s $300 in relief for 1.9 million households, on top of the 13 cent reduction in petrol tax and the gas rebate,” the prime minister said. “The bottom line … is that people are getting real hard cash back.” Kenney said the electricity rebate program would provide about $600 million in relief through 2022. In a press release Wednesday morning, the deputy minister of natural gas and electricity said doubling the rebate will help ease the financial burden many families face. “This move will help millions of families and business owners pay their bills and keep their lights on while we continue to work to build a stronger, more affordable long-term power system,” said Dale Nally. 5:05 UCP extends gas tax relief and electricity rebates to Albertans UCP extends gas tax relief and electricity rebates to Albertans – June 23, 2022 On Tuesday, Alberta NDP energy critic Kathleen Ganley said the $50 rebate amount is too small at a time when Albertans are facing “a cost-of-living crisis like never before.” Trending Stories
The family of a man accused of abducting a 13-year-old Edmonton girl is giving a statement Patrick Brown has been ruled out of the Conservative leadership race
Story continues below ad “Some bills are hundreds of dollars a month higher than they were at this time last year,” Ganley said. “This amount is very small and by October, the higher bills will probably return. “It’s still our position that $50 is insufficient. We still believe there is much more the government needs to do.”
Read more: Rising commodity prices drive up Alberta utility bills
Ganley called on the government to extend the rebate program until the winter. “Due to repeated delays in withdrawing these rebates, Albertans will see these rebates stop — likely in November or December — when prices are likely to spike again,” he said. “Albertans deserve to know they have a government that has their back … we’re asking them to do a little more than they’ve been doing.” Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams suggests the relief won’t address the core problem of rising utility prices. Instead, he believes regulating how much people pay would be more attractive to Albertans. “Given that the government is flush with cash right now and will be for the foreseeable future, it’s getting harder and harder to say it’s not a justifiable expense,” Williams said. Story continues below ad “At the end of the day, if the oil revenue is coming from resources owned by Albertans, then enjoying at least some relief from the high costs they’re struggling with seems to many people a more palatable alternative.”
Read more: Gas tax savings begin for Alberta drivers Friday: ‘Watching like a hawk’
Kenney said Tuesday the province is looking at other measures to help Albertans with the cost of living, but added the government needs to be prudent. “It wasn’t that long ago – just a few months ago – that we were still in deficit as a province. One thing we know about oil and gas prices in this province is that they fluctuate. What goes up will come down. So before we look at any other options, we need to make sure that we are on solid fiscal ground, that we have sustained surpluses.” The province previously said Alverna residents currently connected to the system who have consumed electricity in the past calendar year — up to 250 megawatt hours per year — are automatically eligible for the rebates.
Read more: Alberta gas rebate begins October 1st
The government said the $50 rebates will be automatically credited to eligible people’s bills. Albertans do not need to apply to receive a discount. Story continues below ad The discount will be shown on each bill as a line item entitled “GOA Essentials Discounts”. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
