Canadian Taxpayers Federation praises home heating rebate
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is praising the Wakeham government’s announcement of a 15 per cent electricity rebate that will save the average Newfoundland and Labrador household $351 annually.
“This is real relief that families will feel on every single power bill,” said Devin Drover, CTF Atlantic Director and General Counsel. “When a family turns up the thermostat in January, they’ll keep more of their own money.
“Making life more affordable means making things cost less and this rebate will do that every single year.”
The provincial government announced the Churchill River Electricity Rebate as part of the new Churchill Falls agreement with Quebec and Ottawa. The rebate is automatic and applies to the first 2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity on every residential bill each month, so every household in the province will see the savings without filling out a single form. It will save the average household $351 annually.
The CTF also backed the call by New Democrat member of the house of assembly Sheilagh O’Leary to scrap the 10 per cent provincial sales tax on home heating. The government of neighbouring Nova Scotia automatically rebates the provincial portion of the HST on residential electricity and home heating.
For the average family heating with electricity, this 15 per cent rebate will deliver bigger savings than that tax cut would have.
“Nobody has to apply, nobody gets left out and nobody has to wait for a cheque in the mail,” Drover said. “Every household in Newfoundland and Labrador will see this rebate right on their power bill and that’s how relief should work.”
Related Articles
