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By Chris Brown / CHAT News Today

Effective Oct. 1, 2022

Alberta’s natural gas rebate will come into effect this fall

Jun 29, 2022 | 4:58 PM

The natural gas rebate program to help Albertans with high heating costs in the colder months will come into effect on Oct. 1.

The program was promised in the spring budget and critics have hounded the government for more details.

The province says more than 1.6-million homes, farms and businesses will get the rebate, to be applied directly to customers’ bills until the end of March. No application is necessary by those connected to the natural gas distribution system, says the province.

Customers who use other heating fuels, such as propane, kerosene or heating oils will also be eligible for rebates.

“We are stepping up to provide more and more relief for Albertans as prices remain high, says Dale McNally, associate minister of natural gas and electricity in a news release. “This rebate will provide price protection for millions of Albertans using natural gas, kerosene, propane and other fuels next winter.”

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Starting Oct. 1, all consumers connected to the natural gas distribution system, and paying a bill directly to a natural gas retailer with less than 2,500 gigajoules (GJ) of annual natural gas consumption, will be eligible for the rebate.

Under this program, if the monthly default natural gas rate from the regulated utility providers (ATCO Gas North, ATCO Gas South and Apex Utilities) goes above $6.50 per GJ, the government will provide rebates to all consumers covering the difference between $6.50 and the regulated rate, on a consumption basis. For example, if the regulated rate goes to $7.50 per GJ, customers will receive a $1 rebate for every GJ used.

Regular updates on the default rate will be on alberta.ca.

Marie Renaud, NDP MLA for St. Albert, made the following statement in response to the UCP’s update on natural gas rebates:

“Four months after promising a natural gas rebate to families struggling with huge bills, today Dale Nally says families will have to wait another four months before they see a penny of relief.

“Once again, the UCP response to inflation and the cost of living crisis is too little, too late.

“While the UCP is taking credit for the huge natural gas royalty revenues driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Alberta families are struggling to pay for food, keep a roof over their head, and cover their bills.

“In addition to runaway utility costs, the UCP is taking a billion dollars in new income taxes from Albertans and forcing them to pay more property taxes, more school fees, more tuition, more interest on student loans, more for camping and more for car insurance.

“Albertans can’t trust Dale Nally and the UCP to deliver real help with their monthly bills.”

(With files from rdnewsNOW)