Edmonton Journal ePaper

Province to extend, expand electricity rebate program

Smith hints UCP plan would offer relief cheque to all households

LISA JOHNSON

Alberta's government hopes to expand its electricity rebate to include more customers even as the program is set to be extended by four months, Affordability and Utilities Minister Matt Jones said Monday.

First announced in March by former premier Jason Kenney, the province's $50-per-month rebate program was designed to show up on the bills of more than 1.9 million homes, farms and businesses for six months.

However, customers who are sub-metered, like some living in apartments and condominiums, were not eligible, drawing criticism from community advocates. The government has said it doesn't track how many such customers there might be in Alberta.

Premier Danielle Smith said last week, as part of an inflation package, the electricity rebates would be continued come January, adding an extra $200. On Monday she suggested on Twitter it would go to all households.

In an interview Monday with Postmedia, Jones clarified that his department is working on ways to get sub-metered customers access to the rebate, potentially through an application portal.

“Obviously there is some technical complexity to getting this money where it needs to go, but with the extension of the electricity rebate program, I certainly would like to ensure that they get the benefit as well because they're also seeing increased costs from inflation,” said Jones.

Smith's government is adjusting benefit programs to inflation, and at a news conference Monday it offered more details on how Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support, Alberta Seniors Benefit and Alberta Child and Family Benefit payments will be boosted starting in the new year at a rate of six per cent.

Smith said many Albertans are struggling to pay for necessities.

“Nowhere is the need for help more urgent than for those on fixed incomes,” said Smith, who noted the adjusted January AISH and Income Support payments will be the first to be distributed, days before Christmas.

Those receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit will see the change on their January cheques, and those getting the Alberta Child and Family Benefit will see the increase in their first quarterly payment in February 2023.

Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jeremy Nixon said the rate is based on the consumer price index for 2022, accounting for the period in which the province saw the largest increase in the cost of living. However, it won't be retroactive. Taisa Mcrorie, a recipient of AISH, thanked Smith for increasing the payments at the announcement. Taisa's mother Leah Mcrorie said many people in the disability community feel a renewed hope, and responded with “happy tears.”

AISH was first indexed to inflation under the NDP government in late 2018. When the UCP government took power the next year that decision was reversed. At that time, the government said the move would save more than $300 million by 2023 and was necessary to keep the program sustainable.

It's estimated the reindexation of AISH and Income Support will cost taxpayers about $45 million in 2022-23 and $173 million in 2023-24, while adjusting the Alberta Child and Family Benefit will cost about $7 million in 2022-23 and $35 million in 2023-24.

Earlier Monday, Opposition NDP community and social services critic Marie Renaud said in a statement people suffered for years and called on the government to make the adjustments retroactive.

“This move, which only comes six months before an election, clearly shows this government's motivation and lack of compassion and understanding of what people have gone through for three devastating years,” said Renaud.

The NDP has calculated that an Albertan living on AISH will still be $3,000 worse off in 2022 than they were in 2019.

Jones said when the government paused indexation, it was running deficits.

“Alberta's landscape has changed dramatically, but we always committed to reindexing these programs when we were able because of course, social programs must keep up with cost of living and inflation over the long term,” said Jones.

The government's inflation relief package, expected to cost $2.8 billion over the next three years, includes $600 payouts over six months for each senior and child under the age of 18 in households with a yearly income of less than $180,000, and a continued suspension of the provincial gas tax for at least another six months.

Jones emphasized that there is significant relief going to Albertans, even if they aren't eligible for the $600 payouts.

“The broad-based relief alone will provide the vast majority of households — with or without children, with or without seniors — with up to $900 or more in relief,” he said, noting that even if someone doesn't drive a car, the fuel tax relief reduces the cost of getting transported goods.

Jones said the $180,000 threshold was chosen because it includes 80 per cent of households in the province with children, and lines up with the threshold used for the province's child-care subsidy.

“This was intended to target those with the highest need,” he said.

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2022-11-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-11-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

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