Need help paying your hydro bill? Here's how to get up to $600 in grant money
Provincial officials have extended a program meant to help residents of B.C. who are struggling to make ends meet.
The BC Hydro Customer Crisis Fund will continue to provide support to help keep the lights on for those who are facing financial challenges.
The three-year pilot program wrapped up at the end of May, but in a news release Tuesday, the Ministry of Energy confirmed it has been renewed.
Through the CCF, customers can apply for grants of up to $600 to be used toward their hydro bills. The intent is to give a bit of extra cash to those who've lost their jobs, or are dealing with illness or the loss of a family member, the ministry said.
Grants are meant for those facing the disconnection of their hydro.
The program has helped more than 11,000 customers in its first three years, according to the province.
The grant money comes from a monthly charge of 13 cents, which has been added to the bills of all of B.C.'s residential customers.
The rate was taken off customers' bills this month.
Those wondering if they may be eligible can check the criteria online, which include that the grant recipient be applying for their primary residence, and that they have overdue payments and be facing disconnection.
Anyone who meets the criteria can apply online. If that isn't an option, an individual can fill out a paper application and bring it to a Service BC location, mail it or fax it. More information is available here.
To apply, the customer will need their BC Hydro account number, as well as the name on the account and their postal code.
Those ineligible for the CCF may still be able to get help from BC Hydro. Payment plans are optional, and customers have the option to defer a payment if needed.
There are also alternatives to a security deposit, and pre-authorized automatic withdrawals can help keep a customer from falling behind.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.