1 LOW-INCOME ENERGY NETWORK LIEN/AHAC Conference Helping Low Income Consumers Sarah Blackstock Income Security Advocacy Centre

2 Presentation outline zLIEN pyramid zEnergy conservation programs zRate and emergency assistance programs

3 LIEN’s approach to low-income energy conservation & assistance

4 Benefits to Low-Income Households ylower energy bills yimprove comfort/quality of life yensure access to electricity and heat yreduce risk of homelessness yallow people with low incomes to participate in the “Culture of Conservation”

5 Benefits for Society yreduce demand for emergency assistance yreduce need for public expenditures yreduce poverty yreduce pollution yreduce need for new generation facilities

6 LIEN model yfor low-income home-owners and tenants who pay for utilities directly ybased on pyramid yBrantford Power’s pilot project “Conserving Homes” based on LIEN model

7 Energy conservation zOntario Energy Board yOEB encouraged Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) to develop low-income Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) ynot mandatory y33 LDCs spending approx. $9.6M

8 Energy conservation zSocial Housing Services Corporation (SHSC) yenergy costs are 40% of annual operating budgets, $400M/year yEnergy Management Program

9 Energy conservation zDiscretionary benefits for OW/ODSP clients zone-time benefit zmaximum of $50 zto pay for pre-approved low-cost energy conservation measure

10 Energy Conservation zConservation Bureau yMinister of Energy gives OPA/Conservation Bureau responsibility for low-income and social housing CDM in October 2005 ytarget of 100MW reduction, equivalent of the energy consumption of homes

11 Energy Conservation zEnerGuide for Low-Income Households (EGLIGH) ycancelled by Harper gov’t in recent budget y$500M, 5-year program yavailable to homeowners, multiple-unit buildings and rooming houses yfor retrofits such as draft-proofing, heating system upgrades and window replacements yGreen Communities leading lobbying campaign to save EGLIGH

12 Rate and emergency assistance zFederal Energy Cost Benefit yone-time benefit provided in Jan 06 y$250 to families receiving NCBS y$125 to seniors receiving GIS y$250 to senior couples where both receive GIS y3.1M payments made

13 Rate and emergency assistance zProvincial Emergency Energy Fund ySTW/LIEN worked with ComSoc to establish fund in 2004 yfund doubled to $4.2M (April 12/06 announcement) y$ to First Nations members on reserve ymanaged by municipalities and the Ontario Native Welfare Administrators’ Association on behalf of First Nations

14 Rate and emergency assistance zProvincial Emergency Energy Fund con’t yto help pay for arrears, security deposits, reconnections ypaid directly to energy providers ycan access fund once, unless there are exceptional circumstances yamount provided depends on factors such as number of months energy has been disconnected and reconnection fees

15 Rate and emergency assistance zOntario Home Electricity Relief program ylegislation introduced in April 06 to provide low-income families with a one-time payment yup to $120 per family yto be eligible families have to file 2005 tax returns by Dec. 31, 2006 y1.5M families will be eligible

16 Rate and emergency assistance zSocial assistance ySA recipients who pay for heating costs directly can receive assistance a part of their shelter allowance yCommunity Start-up and Maintainenace Benefit

17 Rate and emergency assistance zCharities yShare the Warmth (not in all communities) yWinter Warmth (United Way, Toronto Hydro and Enbridge) ymunicipal programs ychurches yvarying levels of assistance yvarying critieria

18 Being warm, cool and green zRole of government zRole of utilities zRole of activists