Atlantic Canadians suffer the highest rates of energy poverty the country said a report published by a Canadian public policy think tank.
The Fraser Institute said one-in-four Atlantic Canadian households live in energy poverty, meaning ten per cent or more of their spending is for electricity, home heating fuel and gasoline
“Many Atlantic Canadian households are spending a significant portion of their expenditures on energy, when Canada should have among the most affordable energy in the world,” said Elmira Aliakbari, director of energy policy studies at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Energy Costs and Canadian Households: How Much Are We Spending, 2025 edition.
The study found 24.6 per cent of Atlantic Canadians were living in energy poverty in 2021 (the most recent year for available data) compared to the 11 per cent national average.
“Policies that increase the price of oil, gas and electricity will force more Atlantic Canadian households into energy poverty, and intensify the financial strain on already vulnerable households,” Aliakbari said.
Janet Tobin from Efficiency Nova Scotia said demand for their energy-saving programs has been growing, especially in the last two years. She said heat pumps are an effective option for reducing bills.
“One mini-split heat pump can actually reduce their energy bills by about 15 to 25 per cent,” Tobin said.
Chris Lanteigne, director of customer care at Nova Scotia Power, said they are working with customers and low-income advocates to understand the issue.
“We have designed and implemented several new initiatives to help customers based on their input – including our continued support of the HEAT Fund, working with customers on payment plans that best support their situation and offering equal billing to ensure a predictable bill each month of the year,” said Lanteigne.
Energy NB highlighted their province’s similar energy and cost saving tips in a statement.
“NB Power is also committed to the creation of a Vulnerable Population Committee to better understand and help customers living in energy poverty,” said the statement.
Low-income Canadians are disproportionately affected by energy poverty, said the report. Energy poverty affects 22.1 per cent of homes with an income less than $31,200 versus 20.7 per cent of households with incomes between $31,200 and $55,000.
Only 1.6 per cent of households earning more than $124,100 are energy poor.
The lowest rate of energy poverty in Canada is in British Columbia at 8.1 per cent, followed by Ontario (9.0), Alberta (9.8), Manitoba (11.2), Quebec (11.9) and Saskatchewan (13.9).
