SaskPower is offering some relief to community rinks in the province that have been affected by the pandemic.
From March 1st to September 1st, all demand charges will be waived for eligible rinks, saving the average rink about $1,600 per month while operating.
SaskPower spokesperson Scott McGregor says ice rinks are a huge part of Saskatchewan culture.
“We know that ice rinks are at the heart of many Saskatchewan communities, and the loss of raffle sales, concession sales, tournament admissions, things like that,” said McGregor. “We are going to offer a one-time relief program that will help with a portion of their power bill until September.”
Ice rinks generally use a lot of power over a short period of time, resulting in them being charged to cover the cost of the extra generation of that power.
McGregor says the program is aimed at helping community owned, non-profit arenas, as they were hit particularly hard.
“We understand that a lot of these rinks rely on them being used, and being used by the community,” said McGregor. “With the pandemic, and these facilities not being used as often as they historically have been, any help that we can do will certainly go a long way.”
More information, and applications can be found on SaskPower’s website.