Monthly on-bill credits reduce the amount of stress and extra costs that households facing unaffordable energy costs face. One of AEC's member agencies, Antigonish Emergency Fuel Fund, sent us this report on a very small program they tried before the HARP program increased from $200 to $1000 in late 2022 (it is now $600).
We always direct clients to apply for the HARP program [$200]. If something like this could be expanded...we are using $600...a lot of people could benefit.
We currently have about 120 clients on electricity, 80 on oil and another 20 or so on firewood.
We have about 300 files [StatsCan suggests that there are about 400 households in Antigonish County according to their data]. Employment status seems to govern who applies in a given winter season. If someone has paid work, they may not apply to us. Only about 25% of our clients have employment income...and it is often precarious.
To read what has worked with Mike's clients, please read the attached PDF.
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