BC’s Electricity Affordability Credit Goes Into Effect

The carbon tax went up on Monday, just as BC’s B.C. Electricity Affordability Credit started rolling out.

The rate went up from 65-dollars to 80-dollars per tonne - the same 15-dollars increase as the national rate saw.

BC Hydro customers will start to see the $100 credit applied to their first bill after April 15th.

The credit will be automatically calculated and divided between their bills during the next 12 months.

The Province says nearly all customers will pay less for hydro this year than they did last year.

The exact credit amount is based on an individual customer’s annual electricity consumption prior to March 31st. While residential customers will see about $100 in savings, businesses are looking at more like $400.

As of yesterday, electricity bills were going up by 2.3 percent, but the province says the credit, announced in this year’s budget, will more than offset the increase.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was in Nanaimo last night calling for the cancellation of the federal tax.

He’s in Campbell River later this week for a fundraiser.