No plans to assist people out money after Maritime Fuel bankruptcy, premier says

CITYnews halifax / By Mark Hodgins

The premier of Nova Scotia says the province has no plans to offer financial support to people who have lost money as Maritime Fuel files for bankruptcy.

The company made the filing last week, and reports say about $2.5 million is owed to customers who pre-paid for fuel. Those people have been informed there will not be refunds and have been encouraged to apply as unsecured creditors.

“It’s a sad situation for sure, but it’s a private company,” said Premier Tim Houston, speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting on Thursday. “Sometimes a gym goes under, is the government going to step up and refund people for those types of memberships? So there is a precedent element to it for sure.”

The comment came after the premier was asked if the province planned to create a program to support those customers.

Instead, Houston is encouraging people to apply for the $600 Heating Assistance Rebate Program.

The premier’s comments received some push-back from the opposition.

“The premier says people losing thousands of dollars paid to heat their homes is the same as if their gym went under,” NDP leader Claudia Chender wrote on social media. “This is dangerously out of touch.”

Both Chender and Liberal leader Zach Churchill meantime suggested the government expand its Heating Assistance Rebate Program so more people would be eligible for the money.