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ENERGY POVERTY

Energy poverty is a surprisingly common problem in Canada, with vulnerable communities most harshly affected by cut-offs when they fall behind on bill payments

Energy poverty is defined as struggling to pay your energy bills – A common misconception is that only low income households struggle with energy poverty. In reality, the majority of people struggling with energy poverty are not low income. Many lower middle-class families who own their homes experience energy poverty in Canada. These families are hit hard by energy price increases and are often unable to upgrade their homes to reduce their energy usage and reduce their bills.

There are other risks to energy poverty besides being unable to financially handle bills. Some residents are forced to make tough trade-offs between paying energy bills and paying for other necessities, this is often referred to as a ‘to heat or to eat’ mentality.  Some residents are living in damp or drafty homes, and have problems with mould and mildew. The constant stress of energy poverty can also affect mental health. Addressing energy poverty isn’t just about saving money or the environment, it’s about being safe and healthy in your own home.

Considerations of Equity in an Efficiency Financing Program

Financing programs offer low interest loans to homeowners to undertake specific energy efficiency upgrades in their homes. They are an important tool for achieving our climate goals through residential home retrofits by reducing greenhouse gasses, household energy costs, and energy use. Yet while LMI households are in some ways the most appropriate candidates due to higher bills and more inefficient housing, the barriers and risks of their participation are numerous.

Reep Green Solutions asked Kambo Energy Group to analyze potential equity impacts of an efficiency financing program in Waterloo Region and offer recommendations that ensure Low and Moderate Income (LMI) households are protected and included in the program appropriately.

Read the Report

In Canada, 21% of households struggle with energy poverty - that’s over 2.8 million families!

Canada's leading experts at tackling energy poverty

Since the early 1990’s, Empower Me’s leadership team has had extensive experience delivering no cost energy efficiency programs to more than 40,000 low income families facing energy poverty in the United Kingdom and Canada. Our team was selected as the delivery agent for BC Hydro’s Energy Conservation Assistance Program, co-designing and delivering the program to over 4,000 families in energy poverty. More recently, we launched the Home Upgrades Program in Alberta, the Province’s first energy efficiency program designed for families struggling to pay their bills.

Download Our Energy Poverty White Paper

Dr. Maryam Rezaei, our Senior Advisor, Program Design focused her thesis on energy poverty and is Canada’s leading expert on energy poverty. Maryam has a decade of experience researching residential energy use and has had her work featured in numerous media outlets.

Energy Poverty Media

Recent news and media about energy poverty

Power companies partner to educate and inspire in Alberta

Calgary Economic Development
Empower Me

Energy poverty: the hidden technology gap

CBC Radio
Dr. Maryam Rezaei

How Canada can end energy poverty and winter cut-offs

National Post
Dr. Maryam Rezaei

How Canada can end energy poverty and winter cut-offs

The Conversation
Dr. Maryam Rezaei

Bridgewater addresses energy poverty with ambitious plan

South Shore Breaker
Dr. Maryam Rezaei

Helping non-English speakers conserve energy

CTV News
Empower Me

Empower Me’s Home Upgrades Program

In Spring 2018, with the support of Energy Efficiency Alberta, Empower Me created and launched the Empower Me Home Upgrades Program. The program was designed to be scaleable, with the goal of creating a provincial-wide program to provide access to energy efficiency services more equitably across Alberta.
The program was the first of its kind in Alberta to help households struggling to pay their energy bills by installing energy saving measures free of charge, as well as education and mentorship. The Home Upgrades Program was designed to develop an understanding of the energy issues inside Albertan homes with the goal of expanding by collaborating any governmental department.

Read Our Impact Report

Community Connections. Healthier Homes.

Email Us: info@empowerme.ca

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Copyright © 2020 • A division of Kambo Energy Group Inc. • Empower Me® is a registered trademark and program of Kambo Energy Group Inc.
  • What We Do
    • Home Upgrades Program
    • Energy Poverty
    • Equity in Efficiency Financing Programming
    • Energy Efficiency Education
    • Energy Saving Workshops
  • Why We Do It
    • Program Partners
    • Community Partners
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Careers
    • Accolades
    • Social Enterprise
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Resources
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