This article was published in February 2020 and may be outdated.
The cost of natural gas increases April 1, 2020 as part of the federal government’s multi-year carbon pollution pricing system.
For our natural gas customers, the federal carbon charge applied to each cubic metre of natural gas we sell increases to 5.87¢ from 3.91¢, as the federal carbon price increases to $30 per tonne from $20 per tonne.
As a result of the increase, residential customers will see an average increase of approximately $44 per year to their natural gas bill. The federal carbon charge is found on your energy bill in the natural gas section.
Larger volume customers’ natural gas costs will increase up to 18% depending on their customer class and gas consumption.
All money collected by Manitoba Hydro for the carbon charge is passed on to the federal government. The carbon charge only applies to the consumption of fossil fuels — it does not apply to the consumption of electricity.
Federal legislation creating the carbon pollution pricing system became law June 21, 2018 and took effect April 1, 2019. It’s set to rise by $10 per tonne of emissions each year until reaching $50 per tonne in 2022.
The federal government has committed to returning proceeds from the carbon charge collected in Manitoba through payments to individuals or families and investments in energy efficiency. For more information, visit the federal government’s website for Manitoba and pollution pricing.
Read about the federal carbon charge and how you can reduce your energy bill by improving the energy efficiency of your home.