NB ACORN is launching a provincewide survey as it looks to measure how rising electricity costs are affecting New Brunswick households.
The online survey asks residents about their monthly power costs, whether they have received disconnection notices and whether they have had to go without essentials such as groceries or medication to pay their bills.
The group plans to use the results in a report for the provincial government and NB Power.
Nichola Taylor, chair of the NB ACORN At-Large Chapter, said the group launched the survey following announced electricity rate increases of about 5.5 per cent annually over three consecutive years.
“We decided that in order to highlight the affordability situation to the government and also NB Power, we needed to hear everyday people’s voices on the matter,” Taylor said.
“We want to gather this information and put it into a record in order to present this to the government as well as NB Power.”
Taylor said the organization wants to document what residents are experiencing and whether rising power costs are forcing people to make difficult financial decisions.
She said ACORN has already heard from people struggling to balance electricity bills with other essential expenses, particularly during the winter months.
“We know that some people go without. They have to make difficult choices in winter especially,” Taylor said.
“For example, they may have to skip meals in order to pay their hydro bill or they’re not able to pay for medication that they may need.”
Taylor also stated that the issue is affecting more than just low-income tenants and is increasingly being felt by homeowners and middle-income households as well.
“Many people are struggling to stay afloat and not just talking about tenants, but we’re also talking about homeowners here. This affects so many New Brunswickers,” she said.
The survey is also intended to help support calls for affordability measures before 2028, which Taylor said is the timeline currently laid out in the government’s action plan responding to the review of NB Power.
Taylor said ACORN would like to see a targeted energy assistance program similar to the Ontario Electricity Support Program, which provides monthly bill credits to eligible households.
She also pointed to a temporary winter disconnection ban that was in place from Dec. 1 to March 31 last winter and argued additional measures could help customers struggling to pay their bills.
Taylor said the survey results could help demonstrate the need for quicker action if they show significant numbers of residents are having difficulty affording electricity.
“Well, if we have those results saying that a large proportion of people who’ve taken the survey are struggling and are missing out on essentials, then they need to step up and they need to hurry up and put something in place that helps people,” Taylor said.
The survey is open to both homeowners and renters and is expected to remain available until early January.
Taylor said ACORN hopes to complete a report on the findings later in the winter and present it to the provincial government and NB Power.
