Finance
October 5, 2015

Helping Families Manage Home Heating Costs

Home Heating Rebate Continuing for 2015-16

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is continuing the Home Heating Rebate this winter with applications for the 2015-16 season now available on the Department of Finance website. It is estimated that approximately $13.6 million will be provided to residents through the program.

"Through the Home Heating Rebate, the Provincial Government has helped thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians each winter. Last year, over 55,000 households received rebates ranging from $100 to $500. As a government, we are very proud of this program because it supports individuals and families, helping them offset the costs of heating their homes."
- The Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board

The Home Heating Rebate is available to residents of the province who directly incur costs to heat their home.

  • Eligible households are those who have an adjusted family income of $40,000 or less for the 2014 taxation year.
  • Eligible households with an adjusted family income of $35,000 or less qualify for a maximum rebate of $250 ($500 for coastal Labrador).
  • Partial rebates are available to households with adjusted family income more than $35,000 but $40,000 or less, with a minimum rebate of $100.

Details and applications for the Home Heating Rebate can be found online at www.gov.nl.ca/fin/homeheating, by calling toll-free at 1-855-223-7432 or by email at homeheatprogram@gov.nl.ca. Application forms will also be available in local newspapers, beginning next week, at regional offices of the Department of Advanced Education and Skills, Service NL Government Service Centres across the province and the Seniors Resource Centre in St. John's.

QUICK FACTS

  • The Provincial Government is continuing the Home Heating Rebate this winter with applications for the 2015-16 season now available on the Department of Finance website.
  • It is estimated that approximately $13.6 million will be provided to residents through the program.
  • Eligible households are those who have an adjusted family income of $40,000 or less for the 2014 taxation year.
  • Eligible households with an adjusted family income of $35,000 or less qualify for a maximum rebate of $250 ($500 for coastal Labrador). Partial rebates are available to households with adjusted family income more than $35,000 but $40,000 or less, with a minimum rebate of $100.

- 30 -

Media contact:

Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Finance and Human Resource Secretariat
709-729-6830, 728-4104
jennifertulk@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Home Heating Rebate

The Home Heating Rebate is available to residents of the province who directly incur costs to heat their home and whose adjusted family income for the 2014 taxation year was $40,000 or less, regardless of the primary source of heat.

For most people, adjusted family income is the net income (Line 236 of the income tax return) of the applicant plus, if applicable, the net income of that applicant's spouse or partner. If an applicant had a child under the age of six in 2014, adjusted income does not include net Universal Child Care Benefit payments received. If an applicant received income from a Registered Disability Savings Plan in 2014, the adjusted income does not include the net amount of payments received from that plan.

If applicants currently receive either their personal income tax refund or GST/HST credit by direct deposit from the Canada Revenue Agency, payment of their Home Heating Rebate will be by direct deposit into that same bank account. If applicants are not registered with the Canada Revenue Agency for direct deposit, they will receive their home heating rebate by cheque.

Rebate Amounts
Eligible households are those who have an adjusted family income of $40,000 or less for the 2014 taxation year. Regardless of the energy source purchased to heat the home, eligible households will receive a maximum rebate of $250, where adjusted family income for 2014 is $35,000 or less. Eligible households in coastal Labrador communities will receive a maximum rebate of $500. A partial rebate is available to households with adjusted family income for 2014 of more than $35,000 but $40,000 or less, with a minimum rebate of $100.

Example of Sliding Scale

Adjusted Family Income

Rebate Amount

Electricity, Wood or Wood Products,

Heating Oil, Stove Oil or Propane

Newfoundland and Labrador communities

except coastal Labrador communities

Coastal Labrador communities

$35,000 or less

$250

$500

$36,000

$220

$420

$37,000

$190

$340

$38,000

$160

$260

$39,000

$130

$180

$40,000

$100

$100

How to Apply
Eligible individuals or families must apply for the rebate. In addition to a completed application form, applicants must provide either an electricity or heating fuel invoice (depending on the primary source of heat) for any month from September 2015 to April 2016 in the name of the applicant or the applicant's spouse. If wood or wood products are the primary source of heat, an electricity invoice as well as a copy of the cutting permit or a receipt/invoice for a purchase of wood or wood products must also be submitted. Only one person per household may apply for the rebate. Rental properties with heat included in the rent do not qualify for the rebate.

The deadline for submitting applications is September 30, 2016. Most applications will be processed within 10 weeks of when they are received by the department.

Home Heating Rebate application forms are available through the following:

  • Department of Finance website - www.gov.nl.ca/fin/homeheating;
  • Department of Finance and the Seniors' Resource Centre in St. John's;
  • Throughout the province at the regional Department of Advanced Education and Skills offices and Service NL Government Service Centres; and
  • Local newspapers

Applications must be sent to:

Home Heating Rebate

Department of Finance

Tax Administration Division

P.O. Box 6000, 32 Queensway

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

A2A 0B8

For further information on the home heating rebate, please contact the Department of Finance toll-free at 1-855-223-7432 or by email at homeheatprogram@gov.nl.ca.

2015 10 05                              11:15 a.m.