Energy Poverty — E.P.’s story

E. P. is a single woman in her 50’s, living in Kitchener, in an electric baseboard-heated apartment. Each unit has its own meter, so she is billed directly for her hydro usage.

Instead of turning on the heat, she wears socks and slippers and a housecoat over her clothing.   She has two sleeping bags on top of the blankets on her bed and when it gets really cold she opens the apartment door leading to the hallway to try to get some warmth from there.

In addition to exposing herself to danger by doing so, she also states that she has learned to deal with being cold all the time in the winter when she’s at home.

She works a full-time job and explains that cold cereal is her regular meal because she just can’t afford more when she has to pay such high hydro bills. The bonus to…