5,000 signatures reached
To: Minister Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Energy justice for those most in need
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Unaffordable energy bills mean people must decide between paying for utilities or groceries. These growing affordability concerns are leaving families and individuals with a series of impossible choices: energy bills, food for their families, housing costs, or transportation.
Energy efficiency upgrades are a proven way to lower energy bills. Energy efficiency creates good jobs, reduces energy waste, offers protection from cold and extreme weather events, and plays a critical role in achieving Canada’s climate goals.
Existing federal programs remove financial barriers for middle and upper-income Canadians looking to make their homes more energy efficient. But existing program gaps are leaving millions of low-income families behind because they require an upfront investment, and private market renters are still excluded.
The federal government could provide rapid relief to low-income Canadians struggling with home energy costs.
We, the undersigned, urge you to invest in low-income energy efficiency in the 2024 Federal budget.
Why is this important?
More than 4.5 million Canadians — often those who need it most — are left out of Canada’s federal energy efficiency programs.
The federal government has strong public support for expanding low-income energy efficiency. According to polling conducted by Abacus Data for Efficiency Canada, 72% of Canadians either strongly support or support government funding toward energy efficiency for low-income housing. This support spans across rural and urban populations, owners and renters, all income groups, voters for all political parties and in all regions [1].
Canada will not meet its net-zero emissions goal without upgrading the buildings where low-income Canadians live. Without a national federal energy efficiency solution, low-income Canadians are vulnerable to rising energy costs due to inflation and carbon taxes. As Canada moves to net-zero emissions, higher income Canadians will be able to escape fossil fuels, leaving lower income Canadians with the burden of paying higher costs for fossil fuel distribution networks [2].
We have a chance to achieve this in the 2024 federal budget – but we must act quickly. Budget negotiations are happening right now.
[1] https://www.efficiencycanada.org/polling-canadians-support-low-income-energy-efficiency/
[2] Efficiency Canada, Written Submission for the Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the Upcoming Federal Budget, Sept 2022, https://www.efficiencycanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Efficiency-Canada-submission-to-Budget-2023-consultations.pdf