As part of the Saskatchewan Party’s focus on “affordability” in this election, Leader Scott Moe announced on Oct. 1 that if re-elected, a Saskatchewan Party government will provide a one-year, 10 per cent rebate on electricity charges for SaskPower.
Moe said in Regina, “If the Saskatchewan Party has the privilege of forming government once again, we will provide a one year, 10 per cent rebate on electricity charges for all SaskPower customers. We're going to give everyone a break on their power bill to drive Saskatchewan recovery, and to make life more affordable for Saskatchewan families.”
The announcement came one day after Moe said the Saskatchewan Party would offer a home renovation tax credit of up to $2,100, also falling under the party’s theme of affordability.
“This is a 10 per cent rebate and it will apply to everyone; residential customers, farm customers, industry, businesses and institutions such as schools, hospitals universities and skating rinks. The rebate will be applied automatically to all SaskPower bills for 12 months, starting in December 2020. The average residential customer will save $215 over the course of the year. The average farm customer will save $845,” Moe said.
Saskatoon and Swift Current, both of which have their own utilities, would be provided with a 10 per cent rebate on wholesale power sold to them, with the expectation that the savings will be passed on to their customers.
“The money will the money people will save across this province can then be put back into our economy and into our economic recovery providing a strong tailwind for that recovery in the months ahead,” Moe said.
He explained the rebate will cost about $262 million and would be paid for by the government’s General Revenue Fund, not SaskPower. There will be no impact to SaskPower’s debt load, he added.
Moe pointed out that the federal government is still charging the carbon tax, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that carbon tax is still expected to increase from $30 to $40 per tonne on Jan. 1, 2021. He said, “Our federal government in this nation is actually increasing taxes right in the middle of a global pandemic.”
Moe also said that NDP Leader Ryan Meili “applauds the Trudeau carbon tax.” The week before the election was called, the Saskatchewan government made its case before the Supreme Court of Canada against the carbon tax.
If the court challenge is successful, the removal of the carbon tax off power bills would save SaskPower customers an additional $150 million a year, according to a Sask. Party release.
“As it stands right now, the Trudeau government plans to raise the carbon tax from $30 to $40 a tonne on January 1, 2021. Trudeau plans to raise taxes and your SaskPower bill, in the middle of a pandemic. The Saskatchewan Party will give you a break by cutting your power bill,” Moe said.
Asked if this was an attempt to try to buy votes, Moe responded that it was an opportunity to “really put money into Saskatchewan family's pockets.
“Ultimately, everyone in this province pays a power bill, and this is a very equitable way to ensure that we are not only providing that opportunity for those dollars to go back into our economy and foster the economic recovery that we are working towards here in Saskatchewan across Canada and around the globe, but it also speaks to the affordability for our Saskatchewan families reducing the dollars they have to pay for their for their power bill.”
He said the rebate works within the party’s plan to balance the provincial budget by 2024.
“We understand that families have been greatly impacted financially, over the course of the last six months due to COVID-19,” he said.
“Second, we feel this will also free up some dollars that will then be invested back into our community and whatever way a family chooses that will help foster our economic recovery.”
He pointed out that interprovincial travel is greatly reduced, and international travel is reduced to virtually zero. As a result, he expects Saskatchewan people to spend their money within the province.
Weyburn-Big Muddy candidate Dustin Duncan, who was Minister responsible for SaskPower prior to the dissolution of the Legislature, explained that net metering customers would see a 10 per cent reduction for the power they use from the grid. The supplied background noted residential customers who are net metering and generating their own power, such as solar power, will receive a $215 rebate over the 12-month period – the equivalent of the average residential rebate.
The NDP responded by releasing a statement saying, “Today Sask. Party leader Scott Moe desperately tried to shed his reputation of jacking electricity prices for everyday people and businesses in Saskatchewan. His one-year plan to reduce power rates is a big change in direction from the Sask. Party’s long history of making life more expensive for Saskatchewan families.”
The NDP release said SaskPower bills have increased from $901 to $1,418 from 2007-08 to 2019-20 for a family with an income of $75,000.
