News & Notices

The COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business (CEAP-SB)

Posted: September 2, 2020

Small business and registered charity customers may be eligible for up to $850

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 $850 in support towards their electricity bill if they primarily use electricity for heating, or up to $425 otherwise. Small business and registered charity customers could also be eligible for up to $425 in support towards their natural gas bill.

CEAP-SB Eligibility Criteria

Small business and registered charity electricity or natural gas customers are eligible for CEAP-SB if they meet all of the following criteria:

The customer has an active account with an electricity distributor, a USMP or a natural gas distributor.
The customer’s account falls within the following class:
- For customers of an electricity distributor, the General Service less than 50 kW rate class
- For customers of a USMP, the relevant commercial class that uses less than 150,000 kWh of electricity annually
- For customers of a natural gas distributor, is a non-residential customer that uses less than 50,000 cubic meters of gas annually
Customers can find information about their class on their bill, or they can contact their utility or USMP.
The customer has a registered business number or charitable registration number for the small business or registered charity operating out of the premises.
The customer’s account was in good standing on March 17, 2020, and the customer was not enrolled in an arrears payment agreement for amount owing prior to March 17, 2020. However, customers that enrolled in an arrears payment agreement for amounts that became owing after March 17, 2020 are eligible for CEAP-SB.
The customer failed to make complete payment for the electricity and/or natural gas charges (as applicable) on at least two bills issued since March 17, 2020, and has an overdue balance on the date of their application for CEAP-SB.
The customer’s small business or registered charity premises was required to close* to the public for regular operations for at least 15 days as a result of a government order or inability to comply with public health recommendations.