It’s the time of year when Nova Scotians are facing the decision of when to top up their oil tanks. The province announced help to do just that with the launch of the Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP). “Nova Scotians will see that the program that we launched today on Oct. 1 is the same thresholds and same rebate amount as last year,” Service Nova Scotia MLA Jill Balser says. Families earning a combined net income of up to $45,000 and single-person households earning a net income up to $30,000 are eligible for the $400 rebate. Recipients of the Guaranteed Income Supplement or income assistance are also eligible. “It’s definitely beneficial for those that qualify into the program because every little bit helps,” says Marni Yuke, the chief program officer with Souls Harbour Rescue Mission. But with the skyrocketing price of home heating fuel and the overall cost of living some are asking if $400 enough. “Any program they put out there is great but realistically it’s a Band-Aid,” Yuke says. There’s plenty of families with two incomes, both parents are still working and they’re still scraping by and making choices between heating and food,” adds ACORN leader, Miriam Williams. Balser points out the program started as a $200 rebate and climbed to as much as $600 and even reaching $1,000 during COVID. “In years past, yes, we were able to top up the amount that individuals had received, and that was at a period in time when we were able to do more when we had more resources to be able to support Nova Scotians,” she says. Last year, 54,000 people accessed the heating assistance program. With a budget of $30 million, Balser says they’re targeting 70,000 this year. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
