The Government of Saskatchewan proclaims that the average household in the province will have the lowest utility bill in the country this year.
According to the province, the total cost, before carbon levies and rebates, in Saskatchewan came to $6,157. After the levies and rebates, the total came to $5,630. The numbers are based on a household having two vehicles, gas and electricity costs based on average consumption, two cellphones with voice and data plans and the carbon levies in place.
The next closest province was Manitoba, where the total after rebates and levies came to $5,747, both under the national average of $9,471.
The costs in Saskatchewan are broken down into cellphone package, electric, heating, and auto insurance costs.
Before the adjustments, on average, it will cost residents $1,440 for cellphone packages, $1,425 for the electricity, $835 for heating and $2,450 for auto insurance.
The cellphone, heating, and auto insurance cost was the lowest in the country.
With the adjustments factored in, electricity costs came to $1,347, which is the fourth-highest in the country. The average home heating bill for the year, with the carbon levy included, was $1,030, which was still the lowest in the country. The rebate from SGI brought the total expense for 2021 for auto insurance to $1,813.
“Saskatchewan has experienced a number of economic impacts over the past 12 months,” Crown Investments and Minister Responsible for All Major Crowns Don Morgan said in a written statement. “The government has implemented rebates through the Crown utilities to help protect the quality-of-life residents and businesses have come to expect. Saskatchewan is enjoying the largest utility rebate ever in 2021.”
