Banff 
With crude oil touching more than $130 per barrel, the Alberta government has announced that the province will stop collecting provincial fuel tax effective April 1st to offer residents relief from current high fuel prices.
Currently, Albertans pay around 13 cents per litre in provincial fuel tax. According to the news release, this reduction combined with the GST of 0.65 cents per litre, will result in a savings of about 13.6 cents per litre of gasoline and diesel.
Though Alberta is reducing fuel tax, Ottawa’s federal carbon tax rate on gasoline is set to increase again on April 1, from just under nine cents per litre to just over 11 cents per litre.
Premier Jason Kenney said, “We’ve heard Albertans’ concerns about the rising cost of living loud and clear. While the federal government is set to increase the carbon tax April 1, Alberta’s government is taking the opposite approach and stepping up to offer relief. Stopping the provincial fuel tax puts money back in the pockets of Albertans when they need it most.”
The government says the collection of the fuel tax will be reviewed on a quarterly basis and provincial fuel tax will be reinstated in stages, based on the average price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) over a number of weeks.
Kenney administration says it will not start to reinstate fuel tax collection before July 1st.
$150 in Electricity Rebates
In addition, the province will provide $150 in electricity rebates to help residents pay for the high bills they faced this winter.
As per the news release, more than one million homes, farms and businesses will receive a $50 monthly rebate for three months.
“Alberta’s government will work with utilities and regulators to determine exact details, including rebate timing. This includes working to have the rebates applied directly to consumers’ bills,” reads the release.
Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally said, “Utility prices are in part due to market conditions, and in part due to punishing policies from the former provincial government and the federal government. As our government works hard to responsibly manage system costs, we are also working tirelessly to increase generation investments to bring new supply on to the market. As this long-term work continues, a rebate to help offset these costs for Alberta families and small businesses will help provide support when they need it most.”
The news release says this rebate will be combined with the Natural Gas Rebate program announced in Budget 2022.
