THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Hydro is looking to turn less energy consumption into more savings for up to 1,000 regional customers.
The local utility on Friday introduced the AffordAbility Program, an Ontario-wide initiative to help provide people slightly above the low-income threshold for rebates with resources and energy efficient home upgrades to help ease their electricity bills.
Tim Wilson, Thunder Bay Hydro’s vice president of customer and information services, said up to 600 Thunder Bay customers could be eligible for the program, as well as another 400 in Atikokan, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout and Kenora.
“Up to this point in the province, programs have been geared to people at that low-income cut-off or below,” Wilson said. “This one picks up at that cut-off point because the research that’s been done by the province is that there is still a large number of folks – 50,000 across the province – that we’re targeting across the province that still struggle with electricity affordability.”
The criteria for the program will be based on a calculation factoring in net income, electricity bill amount and number of people residing in the home. The fund is open to the utility’s primary account holder, whether they own or rent.
Customers accepted into the program will be sent a home energy kit, which includes LED lights, a low flow shower head, a faucet aerator, a furnace filter whistle, a programmable power bar timer, an indoor drying rack and an energy savings guide.
Those who proceed will have a home energy audit completed, which could result in qualification for new appliances, programmable thermostats and additional insulation.
“The folks that are in this situation, if you’re not qualifying for low income but you’re really close to that threshold, you’re not making decisions about if you should replace your fridge. You’re making decisions about how much you can place towards the (hydro) bill, towards how much for rent, towards groceries for the week,” Wilson said.
“Those are the kind of decisions folks are making and the goal is to get the electricity affordability out of that thought process and allow the to have more quality of life enhancement decisions with the rest of daily living.”
Thunder Bay Hydro held an information session with more than 20 community service agencies to provide details of the program to help those organizations direct their clients to access the funding.
Sheri Fata, the manager of education and support services at the Thunder Bay Counselling Centre, said the reductions will add up to make a difference on an expense people have no choice but to pay.
“Even if the energy savings is only small each month, when it’s something that’s a permanent change it can save a lot of money in the long-term. We’re always looking for those small savings,” Fata said.
“Obviously there are some discretionary things you can go through and make some changes on but sometimes there aren’t. We really do look at everyday items.”
People can apply to the program online or by calling 1-855-494-FUND. Thunder Bay Hydro will be having information sessions in Atikokan, Fort Frances, Kenora and Sioux Lookout next week.
