Demand for P.E.I. home heating subsidy up fivefold, Salvation Army says

Demand for P.E.I.'s home heating subsidy is up significantly, according to the Salvation Army, which administers the program on the province's behalf.

The annual subsidy provides Island families earning less than $60,000 a year with up to $1,200 to help heat their homes using oil, wood, electricity,wood pellets and propane.

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From April to June of this year, 805 households registered for the home heating assistance program more than five times higher than the demand at the same time in 2022.

John Burton of the Salvation Army's Community Church in Charlottetown said people seeking the rebate are talking about the high costs of everything these days.

It does pull at your heartstrings when people are coming and they're either not eligible or they've already used the grant. John Burton

Burton appreciates the province's decision last year to increase the amount by $200. But for many people, including those already on social assistance who do not qualify, it's still not enough.

"We're seeing probably between 2,000 and 3,000 clients who have already accessed the programlike, say from January to April and they've maxed out..... It does pull at your heartstrings when people are coming and they're either not eligible or they've already used the grant."

Last week, the province of Nova Scotia dropped the amount of money people can get through its home heating program. It wentfrom $1,000 last year to $600 this winter, after only $200 was offered in 2021.

"We indicated that last year was a one-time increase and when we reviewed the program we decided to land on three times what was the previous rebate for a number of years," Service Nova Scotia Minister Colton LeBlanctold reporters.

The P.E.I. government said in a statement to CBC News Monday thatit has "no plans at this time to reduce support."