Budget Bulletin: Helping Nova Scotians Stay Warm

Providing home heating assistance to Nova Scotians continues to be a priority during these challenging economic times.

The province will continue to provide the Your Energy Rebate Program, the Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP), and the donation to the Salvation Army as part of government's Heat Smart Program.

The Your Energy Rebate Program will remain unchanged, continuing to help more than 280,000 families stay warm. This is an eight per cent point-of-sale rebate on home heating costs.

The Heating Assistance Rebate Program will continue to be offered; however, the amount of the rebates for oil and electricity has changed.

The Salvation Army's Good Neighbour Program will once again receive a donation.

Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP)

In the 2008-09 budget government committed $10 million to put in place a program to help low-income Nova Scotians heat their homes. However, due to the record high cost of oil putting pressure on everyone's budget, HARP was enhanced by $19 million to provide more help to more Nova Scotians.

As a result, rebates were provided to single persons with incomes of less than $27,000 and families with incomes of less than $42,000, as well as to Nova Scotians receiving Income Assistance or the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Rebate amounts for petroleum fuels were increased.

Applications for the 2008–09 HARP ended this past March 31. More than 60,000 applications were received, of which about 55,000 were provided with rebate cheques of up to $450 for oil, propane or natural gas, and up to $150 for electricity, wood, coal or wood pellets.

Since HARP was introduced, petroleum heating prices have fallen dramatically, while electricity costs have increased. As a result, the electricity rebate will increase from maximums of $150 to $200, and the petroleum heating rebate will be reduced from maximums of $450 to $200. The income levels will remain unchanged.

Electricity Threshold

The electricity rebate has been improved to make it easier for those heating with electricity to qualify.

The threshold for electricity has been harmonized with the Your Energy Rebate Program. This means that Nova Scotians who heat with electricity will qualify for the rebate if they consume more than an average of 27.4 kWh per day for a billing period instead of having to consume a minimum of 10,000 kWh per year.

For instance, a family that heats with electricity and consumes more than 1644 kWh in any given 60-day billing period is eligible to receive HARP, provided their income is not more than $42,000.

This change will see about 15,000 more Nova Scotians being eligible to participate in this program.

The cost of the revised program is estimated to be $15 million.

Applications for HARP will be available on Oct. 1.

Consumers or vendors who have questions about the revised HARP should call Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations at 424-5200 or toll-free at 1-800-670-4357.

Salvation Army Donation

The province will be donating $400,000 to the Salvation Army's Good Neighbour Program.

NOTE: For further 2009-10 budget information, see the Department of Finance website at www.gov.ns.ca/finance .