Alberta natural gas rebate not expected for rest of 2022

Albertans will have to wait until at least the New Year before they get a discount on their natural gas bill.

The forecast natural gas price is expected to be $6.167 per gigajoule, below the $6.50 discount that is underway. At that price, the province’s rebate covers any rate per gigajoule above $6.50.

Since the rebate began in October, natural gas prices have not risen to $6.50. October’s rate was $5.632 per gigajoule and November’s rate was $5.641 per gigajoule.

The province’s Affordability Action Plan webpage previews “changes to increase natural gas price protections to be announced in the coming weeks.”

Premier Danielle Smith on Tuesday promised additional help with household electricity bills “up to a total of $200 per household,” but details were not released. She also said the province will “continue with the current natural gas rebate program.”

When the program was announced at the end of June, it was scheduled to run from October 2022 to March 2023.

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