Alberta condo owners petition province to be included in electricity rebate | 24CA News

A bunch of condominium house owners in Alberta are petitioning the federal government to permit them to profit from extra of the province’s Affordability Action Plan.

At subject is the electrical energy rebate. Because some apartment-style condos have a single meter hooked up to their constructing and pay for his or her electrical energy through condominium charges, they aren’t eligible for the $500 to be rebated from July 2022 to April 2023.

“For us, with 124 units in the building that I live in, that is $62,000 that we’re not getting right now that we think we should,” Phil Rosenzweig of the Condo Owners Forum Society of Alberta advised Global News.

“Probably half of the condo owners in the province have not been getting any rebates, so we don’t think that’s fair.”

The condominium house owners society proposed condominium firms may register for the rebates, offering documentation of service and variety of items.

They additionally need assurances that if the pure fuel rebate is triggered, that each one condos could be eligible.

“The other major condo organizations in the province have said they will support this,” Rosenzweig mentioned.

4:34More inflation assist may very well be coming, in keeping with Alberta affordability minister

The society began a petition and letter-writing marketing campaign after a number of makes an attempt since May 2022 to contact Minister of Affordability and Utilities Matt Jones and his predecessor Dale Nally resulted in just one response.

Andrea Farmer, Jones’ press secretary, advised Global News the federal government is exploring choices to increase the electrical energy rebate to sub-metered items, and mentioned the ministry will probably be reaching out to the society to debate the problem.

“The department of Affordability and Utilities is currently evaluating options to provide this relief efficiently and tax free while also ensuring program integrity for both taxpayers and the intended recipients,” Farmer wrote in an e mail.

She anticipated updating condominium house owners “in the coming weeks.”

Rosenzweig mentioned the federal government’s latest response was “encouraging” given the kind of individuals who sometimes purchase condos — retirees and new households — are being hit arduous by inflation.

“I’m glad to hear at least that Minister Jones is saying there’s a possibility and he’s said that they’d like to make it more inclusive,” Rosenzweig mentioned. “But they’ve still never talked to us.

“We know that the legislature doesn’t come back into session until the end of February. So we’re hoping that Minister Jones will be able to announce some changes before then.”

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