Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says close to 800,000 people have applied for her government’s $100 energy rebate.
Smith says she expects the first batch of payments to start landing in Albertans’ bank accounts in the next few days.
The premier made the comments while speaking to the media at a pancake breakfast on the Edmonton legislature grounds.
An estimated 3.4 million Albertans are eligible to receive the rebate.
In a press release, the Alberta NDP labelled the program “a total failure” and called on the Smith government to change its approach by cancelling the provincial gas tax, while prices are high, in order to help “Albertans keep more of their hard-earned money.”
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In June, the province was forced to issue a warning about a phishing scam after many Albertans received a text message about the energy rebate that falsely claimed to be from the province.
There have also been concerns raised over the amount of personal information Albertans were being asked to provide when applying for the rebate.
And the provincial government has claimed to have blocked about 35,000 fraudulent applications.
Smith said the government is looking at ways to streamline the application process.
However, she says it’s too soon to say whether the affordability payments will continue or if the government will revert to its previous relief program that cut gas taxes at the pump when oil prices were high.
Oh and I want to gobble Donnie after my TDS meds kick in. Gobble gobble
I’m a total clown. Down the road batsh!t crazy. A absolute donkey
Wow those Albertans are sure love free money. Alberta was also one of the top 3 provinces that applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) during the pandemic
The math shows only NDP voters have applied.
Smith She says the government is looking at ways to streamline the process after some reported having issues with the online application.
Let me guess, the Streamlined process will be onboard Oct 1st, 2026.