Lethbridge residents feeling the pinch of higher electric bills
Electric bills are quickly becoming one of the most expensive for Alberta’s home owners and renters.
In July, the average Regulated Rate Option (RRO) rate across Alberta’s four biggest services territories was 27.49 cents per kWh, up from 14.795 cents per kWh in July of 2022.
Lethbridge resident Alisha Dickinson is one of many concerned about climbing electric bills.
She says the high costs have had a big impact on her, as well as other people she knows.
"Nowadays, people cannot save (their) money, they can't have that RRSP, they can't have any kind of savings whatsoever because all their money is wrapped up in bills and just living all together," Dickinson said.
There are several factors leading to the rising rates of electricity.
One is the end of the government's 13.5 cent kWh price cap that ran from January to March. Any cost over 13.5 cents was deferred and is currently being paid back by consumers until December 2024.
High natural gas prices are also making a bad situation worse.
"it's the remnants of natural gas prices being really high relative to this year. Last year, in 2022, natural gas prices were high," said Danny Le Roy, an agricultural economist at the University of Lethbridge.
The carbon tax has added additional costs for Albertans, but even transitioning to power produced by renewable sources won't guarantee cheaper electric rates.
"The sun doesn't always shine, the wind doesn't always blow. There will always be a need for stand by ability to generate electricity using fossil fuels, and that's not changing anytime soon," said Le Roy.
Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf is Alberta’s minister of affordability and utilities.
While Neudorf was unavailable to comment, a statement from his office reads "We are looking at more ways to continue to address this. We are examining every line item on an Albertan’s electricity bill to make sure it is appropriate and provides the full benefit of the competitive market to bring that price down."
There was no indication when any cost saving measures would be announced.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Loblaw leaders push back on 'misguided criticism' of grocer as boycott begins
Loblaw's new chief executive, as well as chairman Galen Weston, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a push to boycott the company gains steam online.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
Airbnb's Icons allow you to drift off in the 'Up' house or rest in Prince's 'Purple Rain' mansion
The vacation destination rental company announced a new category of 'Icons,' a collection of 'extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.'
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.