EDITOR:
With no disrespect to the people who heat their homes with oil, I must question the fairness of the government regarding their taxing policy on methods used to heat our homes.
Islanders who heat their homes with sources other than oil are being treated unfairly in that they have to pay 15 per cent HST while those who heat with oil pay only the federal GST portion of 5 per cent.
I feel that Island home owners who are using more efficient and environmentally friendly heat sources such as heat pumps and electric boilers are being penalized by the government.
Furthermore, it’s not just home owners who are impacted, but Islanders who are living in rental properties such as apartments where heating is not included in the rent, are having to pay additional taxes on their monthly electrical bill.
Over the past few weeks, I raised this unfairness concern that I have with a number of Islanders who heat their homes with electrical heating such as heat pumps. I was shocked to learn how many of them have not stopped to realize that the HST being charged on their electrical bill is, of course, being applied to the amount covering their heating source. And, I was also amazed at the number who were unaware that only GST is being charged on the oil heating method.
Government needs to change its policy to allow all sources of home heating to receive the tax benefit which currently exists only with oil.
Carlene Peters,
Rusticoville
