2023 Cost-of-Living Credit 

Nelson Hydro customers will receive a one-time cost-of-living credit on their electricity bills starting in January 2023 as part of a Province of British Columbia initiative to address the impacts of global inflation on families and small businesses in BC. 

Customers with active Nelson Hydro accounts will receive one of the following amounts based on the account type:

• Eligible active residential account holders will receive a credit of $100
• Eligible active business account holders will receive a credit proportional to their electricity use compared to the total electricity used by eligible business customers.

Residential

The one-time credit will be automatically applied to residential accounts active as of October 1, 2022 and will be on your next bill beginning January 2023. Eligible electric rates are A-1 and A-3. The credit will appear on your bill as “Cost of Living Credit.” If you have more than one residential account, the credit will be applied to only one of your accounts. Customers do not have to apply for the credit.

If you moved and opened a new Nelson Hydro account at a new address, you’ll still receive the bill credit if you meet the eligibility criteria. If your account is in a credit standing, the credit will still be applied.

Business (Commercial)

The one-time credit will be automatically applied to eligible business accounts billing on the electric rates of B-1, B-4, C1 and C-4. For most business customers, the average credit amount will be $240 and is determined based on your usage in proportion to all business customers. The credit will be automatically applied to your next bill beginning January 2023. There is no action for you to take. 

The credit you will receive is proportional to your electricity use compared to the total electricity use of all eligible business customers. To calculate credit amounts, the province looked at electric usage data from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022. Demand charges were not considered.

The credit will appear on your electric bill as “Cost of Living Credit” and will be applied to all your commercial accounts.

These credits aren’t refundable, nor are they transferable.

City of Nelson Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your specific questions. They can be contacted in person at City Hall, by phone at 250-352-8206, or by email at hydroclerk@nelson.ca.