When will drivers get their ICBC rebates? An updated timeline
Some British Columbians won’t be getting provincial rebates meant to offset soaring gas prices until the end of July, according to ICBC.
Premier John Horgan announced the one-time payment on March 25, soon after prices rose above 200 cents per litre. People whose vehicles are for personal use will be getting $110, while commercial vehicles are entitled to $165.
Since then, there has been little relief, as the cost of filling up has continued to climb and continued to break records.
In all, the province said rebates would be coming to 3.5 million policy-holders. So far, 24,000 rebates have been issued to people who set up direct deposit with the insurer. An additional 575,000 are expected to be issued as refunds to credit cards "in the coming weeks," an ICBC spokesperson said in an email to CTV News Saturday.
"Starting in June," those who pay ICBC using debit, cash, cheque, or payment can start to look out for a rebate cheque in the mail.
"We expect to have all cheques mailed to customers by the end of July," the email from ICBC said.
This appears to be a modification to the timeline provided by the province back in March.
"All other customers will receive cheques in June," the announcement from the province read.
The insurer is also reminding people that any text messages or emails instructing people to click a link to receive their refund are "a scam."
While gas prices in Vancouver have dropped since reaching their high of 233.9 cents per litre earlier this month, drivers in the region are still seeing the highest prices in the country.
The BC Liberals have slammed this rebate as too little too late, calling for other measures to give drivers some relief. They propose temporarily freezing the provincial gas taxes and providing a one-time rebate through the Climate Action Tax Credit, which would be issued July 5. They're also calling for a suspension of a 25-cent so-called "hidden import" tax on gas brought to B.C. from Alberta.
High prices across the province have led to calls for free transit over the summer months, when prices are predicted to reach 250 cents per litre.
They've also led to many Canadians choosing to go south of the border to fill up. Along with residents, local charities are struggling with the soaring cost of gas, with some worried they might have to cut programs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.