Saskatoon Light & Power giving rebate to those using electric heating

Saskatoon Light and Power customers who use electric heat as their primary heating source will be getting a one-time rebate.

It will be calculated on 60 per cent of the carbon tax applied to the customer’s electrical consumption from Jan. 1 to April 30. A credit will then appear on their utility bill before the end of June.

The move comes after the Government of Saskatchewan directed SaskPower to stop collecting the carbon tax on electric home heating.

“This is to ensure consistency and fairness among Saskatoon residents regardless of their service provider,” the City of Saskatoon said in a news release.

The rebate will also be providing equivalent electric heat relief for its customers who use electric heat (typically baseboard heating) as their primary home heating source.

The City of Saskatoon will be reimbursed by SaskPower in order to offset the cost of providing the rebate to the city’s customers. The rebate will be cost neutral for Saskatoon Light and Power.

It’s estimated that 2,000 Saskatoon Light and Power customers use electric heating as their primary home heating source. Most people living in Saskatoon won’t qualify for the rebate as they use natural gas instead.

“Heating is estimated to account for up to 60 per cent of power consumed during the winter months for those customers who use electric heat as their primary heating source for their homes,” said Mike Voth, the director of corporate revenue.

In order to find out if you’re eligible, you have to email revenue@saskatoon.ca, call customer service at 306-975-2400 or visit its website.

Customers will have to apply for the rebate to get it.