Edmonton Social Planning Council

Author: Sydney Sheloff

Community Matters: Energy Poverty

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By Sydney Sheloff

What is energy poverty?

Energy poverty is the experience of households struggling to meet their energy needs, including heating and cooling their homes, and powering lights and appliances (Empower Me, 2018; CUSP, n.d.). The average Canadian spends less than 3% of their after-tax income on home heating and electricity. According to Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners (CUSP) households that spend double this (6%) are considered to be living in energy poverty (n.d.).  

50,765 Edmonton households – that’s 16% – live in energy poverty. This varies across the city, 36% of residents in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood experience energy poverty, whereas only 8.3% in Ellerslie do (CUSP, n.d.). A variety of factors influence this. Households in Alberta Avenue have lower incomes than those in Ellerslie ($60K vs. $104K). In addition, houses in Alberta Avenue are older (86% were built before 1991) and more likely to need major repairs (17% vs. 0%).

People who own homes are more likely to live in energy poverty (20-30%) than those who rent (14%). This is likely because a) those who rent often have energy costs included in their rent, and b) renters tend to live in smaller apartments and row housing that requires less energy to heat. However, renters whose utilities are not included in their rent are most likely to experience energy poverty. People that live in single detached housing also have a much higher likelihood of experiencing energy poverty (Empower Me, 2018).

Energy poverty is not isolated to people living with low income. In fact, two-thirds of those living in energy poverty are not considered to be living in low income. People with higher incomes are more likely to be living in larger homes that cost more to heat (Empower Me, 2018). At the same time, lower-income families are more likely to be in homes that, while smaller, have poor insulation and are therefore hard to heat, as well often live in homes in major need of repairs (ODPHP, 2020). While low-income families may be less likely to experience energy poverty, they feel its effects much more harshly.

What are the effects of energy poverty?

Living in energy poverty has many negative consequences on the lives of families. Families may choose to keep their homes at lower temperatures, which is uncomfortable. Living in cold homes also has negative health consequences, such as higher rates of respiratory problems and high susceptibility to illness for children (EmPower Me, 2018). Families may have to sacrifice other important needs, such as groceries and medication, to pay for energy (CUSP, n.d.).

One of the most extreme consequences of energy poverty is having one’s power shut off. This has incredibly negative impacts on people’s health and quality of life. Losing refrigeration means food and medications can go bad and makes it so that families cannot cook food. A lack of hot water makes hygiene difficult (Cummings, 2022; CUSP, n.d.). As essential services, work, and school move online, not being able to power electronics or Wi-Fi routers makes these things inaccessible. Children can fall behind in school, and adults risk losing their jobs.

Living in energy poverty is incredibly stressful. Families need to make tough choices about what they power and when, and live under the fear that they could lose all power if they make a wrong choice. Above all, it greatly impacts a family’s sense of dignity.

What is happening in Edmonton?

The Government of Alberta has rules in place to ensure households do not lose heat in the cold winter months. Between October 15 and April 15, limiters are installed instead of a full disconnection (Cummings, 2022). These limiters allow families to have enough energy to power their necessities – such as their furnace, fridge, a few lights, and one

small appliance. Anecdotes show that families are forced to stop using their ovens, stoves, washers, and dryers as these appliances use too much power. If people go over the ‘limit’ their power will suddenly go off, and they have to either manually restart their meter, or if they have a meter with remote capabilities, wait 15-30 minutes for it to automatically restart (Edwardson, 2022).

Once summer hits, if these families have not caught up on bills, they risk losing power altogether. This has been the reality for 200 Edmontonians in 2022 (Cummings, 2022). As described above, losing power greatly affects these families’ ability to meet their basic needs – storing and cooking food, washing clothes, taking care of personal hygiene – and sacrifices their dignity.

EPCOR claims that disconnection is always a “last resort” after they have exhausted all other attempts at resolving balances (Cummings, 2022). From a human rights approach, is it ever okay to take away someone’s power? The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7 calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy. Energy is essential for people’s physical and mental well-being, and as such, can be considered a fundamental human need (Shyu, 2021). Energy is currently unaffordable for many Edmontonians, this is a breach of their rights.

What can be done?

There are programs in place to address energy poverty, but these are not sufficient. The province of Alberta promised automatic $50 electricity rebates, but in the face of a rising cost of living, this barely makes a dent in families’ monthly budgets, let alone allows them to pay off debts (Cummings, 2022). Upgrades to make homes more energy efficient are a great way to reduce energy costs. However, if families cannot afford their monthly bills, it is unlikely they can afford home upgrades. Programs such as Empower Me offer home upgrades to help lower energy costs, but these are geared to people who own their homes and are out of reach for many renters and low-income families.

We need to instate policies to ensure all people living in Canada have access to their basic energy needs. In South Africa, vulnerable households have access to 50kWh per month as Free Basic Electrification (Shyu, 2021). Governments in Canada could instate a similar system to ensure all families can power their essential needs. Investing in renewable energy sources would make energy more affordable. Overall, governments in Canada, and Edmonton specifically, need to reconceptualize energy as a fundamental human need and put policies in place to ensure everyone has access.

Note: This is an excerpt from our September 2022 Community Matters, you can read the full publication here

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Sources

Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners (n.d.). The many faces of energy poverty in Canada. https://energypoverty.ca/

CUSP. (n.d.). Energy poverty and equity explorers. https://energypoverty.ca/mappingtool/

Cummings, M. (2022, July 8). Epcor has shut off power for 200 Edmonton customers since winter disconnection ban ended. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/epcor-has-shut-off-power-200-edmonton-customers-1.6514114?utm_source=Taproot+Edmonton&utm_campaign=fd3dec5df4-TAPROOTYEG_PULSE_2022_07_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ef1adf0932-fd3dec5df4-421442804&mc_cid=fd3dec5df4&mc_eid=02b4567cf4

EmPower me (2018). Energy Poverty in Alberta: 2018. https://www.empowermeprogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Energy-Poverty-in-Alberta.pdf

Edwardson, Lucie (March 21, 2022). ‘I don’t wish it on my worst enemy’: Calgarians detail life with an electricity load limiter. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/utility-bills-electricity-limiters-calgary-1.6388949

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) (2020). Quality of Housing. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-health/interventions-resources/quality-of-housing

Shyu, Chian-Woei. (2021). A framework for ‘right to energy’ to meet UN SDG7: Policy implications to meet basic human energy needs, eradicate energy poverty, enhance energy justice, and uphold energy democracy. Energy Research and Social Science 79. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214629621002929

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October 5, 2022
Child Poverty in Alberta: A Policy Choice, not a Necessary Reality

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The Alberta child poverty report is an annual report produced by the Alberta College of Social Workers, the Edmonton Social Planning Council, and Public Interest Alberta. It is designed to inform policy-makers, advocates, and decision-makers in their work to end child poverty and create an equitable Alberta for all.

This year’s report explores some of the current issues faced by children living in poverty, addressing household employment and access to basic needs. The authors explore topics such as specific interventions related to child care, mental health services, and children among Indigenous and visible minority communities, with general recommendations included throughout.

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March 18, 2022
2021 Living Wage Report – Single Adults in Edmonton

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A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live with dignity and opportunities to participate in their community. A living wage is defined as the hourly wage that a primary income earner must make to provide for themselves, their families, and reach basic financial security. The living wage allows for a higher standard of living than typical poverty measures, and accounts for the income an individual or family would need to participate in the community. More information can be found in the Edmonton Living Wage 2021 Update report.

The living wage is typically based off of a reference family that includes two parents working full-time, one child in elementary school, and one child not yet in school. The Edmonton Social Planning Council (ESPC) calculated the living wage for this family as $18.10 in 2021.

However, there are many other family arrangements, all of which have different needs and different government benefits available to them. These families may require a different wage in order to live in dignity. Single adults are one such family type. It is often assumed that single adults have lower living costs than families and, therefore, do not need as much support as families with children. This thinking has contributed to a lack of social policy reforms directed toward single adults. Today, single adults are three times more likely to live in poverty than the average Canadian, which limits their ability to achieve personal well-being. As such, ESPC decided to calculate a living wage for a single adult.
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December 10, 2021
Edmonton Living Wage 2021 Update

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A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live with dignity and participate in their community. A living wage is defined as the hourly wage that a primary income earner must make to provide for themselves, their families, and reach basic financial security. It allows for a higher standard of living than what is included in the Market Basket Measure, which is based on subsistence living. It includes child care, allowance for one parent to attend school, extended health and dental plans, and a minor emergency contingency fund. However, it does not include items that would allow families to “get ahead”, such as putting away savings or paying down debt.

This is the sixth year that the Edmonton Social Planning Council has calculated Edmonton’s living wage. It is based on the Canadian Living Wage Framework (2015) created by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

In 2021, ESPC adjusted its methods slightly. Beginning in 2018, ESPC partnered with several organizations and municipalities across Alberta to create the Alberta Living Wage Network. ESPC has decided to adjust its methodologies to remain consistent with the Alberta Living Wage Network.

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November 1, 2021
Blog: Harm Reduction, People Who Use Drugs, and Their Communities

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Introduction

In early May, ESPC volunteer Jayme Wong published a blog post on supervised consumption sites in Alberta, detailing the debate surrounding their closures. Since then, the Alberta government has decided to close yet another service site in Calgary. While it has promised to move these services to another location, there is no indication as to when or where this will happen. People who advocate for keeping supervised consumption sites open stress the importance of harm reduction offered by these services. This blog post will dive deeper into what harm reduction means and the positive impact it has on people who use drugs.

What is Harm Reduction?

Harm reduction is a public health approach that aims to decrease the negative consequences of drug use to users and their communities. Harm reduction is based in humanism and argues that people who use drugs have the right and the ability to make their own choices. As such, harm reduction-based services are accessible, flexible, and non-judgmental. People who use drugs are encouraged to start where they are at, that is, they do not need to make changes to their current lifestyle in order to receive support. Some features of harm reduction include providing people who use drugs access to safe supply, supervised drug use, and naloxone in order to reduce drug poisoning deaths. Harm reduction also involves challenging policies that misrepresent and stigmatize people who use drugs, and advocating for better health policy.

An essential tenet of harm reduction is recognizing that people who use drugs are the best source of knowledge about drug use and must be included in decision-making. Therefore, most information in this blog post comes from Alberta Addicts Who Educate and Advocate Responsibly (AAWEAR), a group of people with histories of hard drug use who strive to improve the quality of life of people who use drugs. AAWEAR is an Alberta-wide organization with chapters in Calgary, Lethbridge, and Edmonton. AAWEAR’s 2019/20 Annual Evaluation contains a survey conducted with people who use drugs in various communities. This evaluation includes essential information about harm reduction and the positive impact it has on people who use drugs.

AAWEAR members engage in on-the-ground outreach using harm reduction principles to meet the immediate needs of drug users. Activities include: distributing harm reduction supplies like clean needles and condoms, safely disposing used needles, offering first aid (including naloxone), and distributing wellness supplies such as hygiene kits, water, snacks, socks, and underwear. Alongside these activities they share knowledge about safer drug use practices, listen to people’s concerns, offer mental health support, and connect them to other community supports. Members also educate the non-drug using community to bring awareness to health issues, and advocate to decision-makers for the creation of better policy around drug use and its impacts on people who use drugs.

All members of AAWEAR have histories of hard drug use. Getting involved with this organization can provide social connection and a sense of belonging, allow people to gain new skills—both to help others and develop their personal wellness—and build confidence.

Who Benefits From Harm Reduction?

The individuals that AAWEAR supports in Edmonton are primarily in their 30s (31%), male (55%), and Indigenous (58%). According to Alberta Health Services (AHS), males aged 30–39 also have the highest rate of opioid poisoning deaths—in 2020 there were 259 drug poisoning deaths amonth this particular demographic. This indicates that AAWEAR is giving harm reduction supplies to the people who need them most.

Many of the peers that AAWEAR members reach use harm reduction practices. In Edmonton, 95% of the AAWEAR’s Annual Evaluation survey participants had accessed clean drug use supplies, and 65% had injected at a supervised consumption site. In 2019, the same reference period as this report, AHS reported that Edmonton supervised consumption services were visited 63,504 times. Thus, one can see that these sites are a widely used and valuable resource for people who use drugs in Edmonton.

There is a prevalent misconception that harm reduction practices result in simply providing people with drugs and enabling negative behaviours. However, as shown by AAWEAR’s work, harm reduction is an approach that aims to improve the overall well-being of people who use drugs. These individuals are given access to clean drug use supplies, but they are also provided with immediate subsistence needs, education, and support. These practices allow people who use drugs to make informed decisions, stay safe when they choose to use drugs, and improve their well-being.

Too often, discussions about drug use, harm reduction, and supervised consumption sites focus on the impact drug use has on the mainstream community—often depicting people who use drugs as dangerous and disruptive. This rhetoric describes people who use drugs as a threat to communities, when in reality they are part of our communities; helping them helps us all. There is a perception that supervised consumption services bring more drug use into a community, which causes harm to businesses and residents. But this perception is inaccurate. People who use drugs have been there the whole time; offering targeted services allows people to use drugs in a safe space rather than on the street, and it reduces the number of needles discarded in public spaces. As such, it increases safety not only for people who use drugs, but for other community members as well.

When we look at harm reduction through the lens of people who use drugs, we can understand how vital these services are. Harm reduction literally saves lives and does so in a way that upholds the dignity and inherent worth of people who use drugs. These individuals are not dangerous outsiders; they are our neighbours. Harm reduction-based services are essential to creating safe and thriving communities for all.

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June 7, 2021
fACTivist Feature Article: Addressing Racialized Populations’ Barriers to Affordable Housing

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Note: this is excerpted from the Spring 2021 edition of our fACTivist publication. The Edmonton Social Planning Council, in collaboration with volunteers and colleagues within the sector, strives to provide stakeholders and community members with updates on ESPC’s activities and projects, including articles and initiatives that address a variety of pertinent issues that affect our community.

Written by Sydney Sheloff and Brett Lambert

Among Canadians who experience homelessness or housing instability, there is a disproportionate number who come from racialized populations—this can include Indigenous peoples, refugees, and newcomers alike. According to data collected by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness’ Homeless Hub, the disparities are glaring.

For comparison, about 1 in 5 racialized families in Canada will live in poverty, while only 1 in 20 non-racialized families experience poverty. [1] Among populations experiencing homelessness, 28.2% of them are members of racialized groups, compared to the Canadian average of 19.1%. [1] While Indigenous peoples make up only 4.3% of the overall Canadian population, they comprise 30.6% of the youth homelessness population. [1]

For refugees and newcomers to Canada, one of the biggest challenges is finding housing that is safe, suitable, and affordable. Across Canada, visible minorities make up 40% of renters in affordable and social housing (compared to 32% in market rentals and 23% in home ownership) while Indigenous peoples make up 9.4% of renters in affordable and social housing (compared to 3.8% of market rentals and 3.1% of home ownership). [2]

Due to long wait times to obtain subsidized housing, these racialized populations may be compelled to look outside of affordable housing options and enter the private housing market. This increases the risk of finding housing that is too expensive, overcrowded, or illegally rented. As a result, they face an increased risk of homelessness and core housing need compared to other groups. About 10% of newcomer youth in Canada experience homelessness. [1]

According to the 2016 federal Census, more than 164,000 households in Alberta are living in unsafe, crowded, and unaffordable housing. [3] As of February 2020, within Edmonton alone nearly 10,000 people were on the wait list for Capital Region Housing’s rental assistance program. [4] Among those experiencing homelessness, as of March 2021, 2,072 people in Edmonton are unhoused, according to Homeward Trust Edmonton. [5] Nearly 60% of them identify as Indigenous. [5]

With this in mind, the need to improve the affordable housing situation couldn’t be more urgent. In response to this intractable problem, the provincial government put together an Affordable Housing Review Panel in the summer of 2020 to work towards solutions. The panel completed its work and submitted a report to the minister of Seniors and Housing on October 5, 2020. The full report was released to the public on December 11, 2020. [Note: The Edmonton Social Planning Council contributed to one of the panel’s engagement sessions with key housing sector stakeholders, in addition to a written submission.]

The panel’s recommendations focused on the need to develop provincial strategic plans for housing, encourage municipalities to develop local affordable housing plans, build the capacity of housing providers, and simplify the application process for tenants. It also recommended privatization of the sector by increasing the role of the private sector and shifting the government’s role from owner and controller to that of partner and funder. The ministry accepted all of the panel’s recommendations.

Knowing the present racial inequities that exist for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) to access housing, will the panel’s recommendations help or hinder the pursuit to close the racial gap?

While there is a lot to dissect and unpack in the panel’s final report, it is encouraging to see it acknowledged that housing solutions are not suitable to a one-size-fits-all approach and that communities across Alberta, along with different segments within those communities, have unique needs to account for. For example, the report highlights that successful programming for Indigenous peoples require the incorporation of cultural sensitivities. Similarly, immigrant and newcomer families may want housing suitable for large intergenerational families.

With that, the panel’s report emphasizes that fairness, equity, and inclusivity need to guide decision-making. Building off of this, the panel sees benefits to housing providers that own and operate their own affordable housing assets because they can more easily address unique housing needs from within the communities they serve, along with other custom solutions to known issues in their respective communities.

This could potentially be a good thing for racialized communities. BIPOC community organizations are likely very well aware of the unique issues that people in their communities face in terms of housing and also likely have unique solutions. For example, in Seattle, a collective of Black LGBTQ people purchased a plot of land in order to give housing to people in need within their community, as well as to push back against gentrification and displacement. They also built a community garden and healing space to address residents’ other needs. Members of the collective, including those who are housed by it, get to make decisions about how their housing is run. Innovative solutions such as these may be limited under the current system.

However, questions arise on whether community organizations have the capacity to own and administer housing. BIPOC communities have faced—and continue to face—social exclusion and economic disenfranchisement, which has limited their resources and power. BIPOC organizations must operate in colonial institutions that have historically oppressed them. Therefore, they may face barriers when attempting to operate housing. Additionally, many of these organizations are already overwhelmed caring for other needs in their community and may not have the time or energy to take on additional housing responsibilities.

While the report does outline the need to ensure sufficient capacity building, more concrete ideas of what capacity development actually looks like is required. Organizations that are Indigenous- or Black-led may need help that differs from that needed than a white-led organization.

An encouraging development is that the panel expressed an interest in rent subsidy programs for those who need temporary support but are not eligible for existing programs. If designed properly, these programs could have the potential to reach some of the most vulnerable populations to access housing, included racialized groups. Of course, this has to be balanced with the knowledge that cuts to rental assistance programs and suspension of housing wait lists occurred within the first year of the United Conservative Party government’s term prior to the formation of this panel (notably, this funding was restored in the latest 2021 provincial budget). Any progress stemming from the panel’s recommendations has to be tempered with the ground that was lost beforehand.

While the report has starts that are good ideas to deal with the unique housing needs of different racial groups, the explanations in this report seem vague and underdeveloped. Moreover, the prospect of the report being amenable to privatization of the affordable housing sector, and shifting governmental roles and responsibilities onto the private sector, is a source of concern. The needs of the most marginalized people seeking to access housing could fall by the wayside.

There are developments within the panel’s report that give reason for hope, but the report does come with important caveats, and the devil will ultimately be in the details.

Sydney Sheloff is Research Officer and Brett Lambert is Community Engagement Coordinator for the Edmonton Social Planning Council.

Sources:

[1] Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (n.d.). Racialized Communities. Homeless Hub. https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/population-specific/racialized-communities

[2] Claveau, J. (2020). The Canadian Housing Survey, 2018: Core housing need of renter households living in social and affordable housing. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2020003-eng.htm

[3] Statistics Canada. (2017, November 17). Core housing need, 2016 census. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/chn-biml/index-eng.cfm

[4] Wyton, M. (2020, February 13). Edmonton housing assistance waitlist balloons in wake of provincial funding cuts. The Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmonton-housing-assistance-waitlist-balloons-in-wake-of-provincial-funding-cuts

[5] Homeward Trust Edmonton. (n.d.). Program Data. https://homewardtrust.ca/what-weve-learned/performance-evaluation/

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May 28, 2021