ON: Propane included in new COVID-19 Business Relief Package

On November 3, 2020 the Ontario government announced a new framework to help limit the spread of COVID-19. 

The framework takes a gradual approach that includes introducing preventative measures earlier to help avoid broader closures and allow for additional public health and workplace safety measures to be introduced or removed incrementally. It categorizes public health unit regions into five levels: Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, Orange-Restrict, Red-Control, and Lockdown being a measure of last and urgent resort. Each level outlines the types of public health and workplace safety measures for businesses and organizations. 

New energy rebate program recognizes the important role of propane

 As part of this initiative, the Ontario government is making $300 million available to businesses required to close or significantly restrict services in areas subject to modified Stage 2 public health restrictions (Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, and York Region) or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown through a property tax and energy cost rebate program. Most importantly, for members and their customers, the new energy rebate program recognizes the important role propane plays in Ontario communities by explicitly naming propane as eligible for energy rebates.

According to the government’s new business COVID-19 relief webpage: “Eligible businesses could get rebates for:

• municipal and education property taxes
• energy costs, including electricity and natural gas (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil)

Rebates will cover the period of time that businesses are required to temporarily close or significantly restrict services as a result of being located in areas subject to the targeted modified Stage 2 public health restrictions or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown.