Diocesan COVID Communique #38

As the Ontario Energy Board’s website explains: “The COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business (CEAP-SB) provides a one-time, on-bill credit to eligible small business and registered charity customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments. Small business and registered charity customers may be eligible for up to $1,500 in support towards their electricity and natural gas bills, and can apply for on-bill credits for both electricity and natural gas separately.”

Our Director of Financial Ministry, Sanjay Grover, notes that because we are a charity with multiple locations, each parish must apply independently for the credit. You can read more about the program here: http://bit.ly/3tjhc6F

Clarification as of 4:00pm on February 3:

In case there’s any misunderstanding, we want to emphasize the province’s COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program only offers credits to businesses and charities that are in arrears on electricity or gas bills received since March 17, 2020. If you have been paying your bills on time, the program will not benefit you. You can read more about the program here: http://bit.ly/3tjhc6F.

As we noted, individual parishes must apply (not the diocese). If yours is a multi-point parish where each church uses individual business/tax numbers, each must apply. If one business/tax number is used for all, it should be a combined claim — but again, only if you have not paid your bills.

Parishes in Quebec are not be eligible for the Ontario program but Quebec does have supports for small and medium enterprises, including religious organizations. You can read about them here: http://bit.ly/2YEKBtR.