Emergency fuel funds see spike in demand as cost of living rises

The Pictou County Fuel Fund says it has already provided as much financial support as it did through all of last winter as a growing number of Nova Scotians struggle to make ends meet.

The program, run by volunteers and funded mostly by donations, pays $450 for home heating oil to successful applicants for the first year and second year, and $300 in the third and fourth year. It opened for the season in mid-November and will continue until the end of March.

"It's just so much more expensive to live this year, and people have to make tough choices a lot of the time," the fund's chair, George MacLellan, told CBC's Mainstreet Halifax.

"The cost of food's gone up, heating's gone up. Some folks have to make the choice between heating fuel or buying their medicine. So it's tough out there."

Some people have taken to buying a small amount of home heating fuel in jerrycans from local gas stations in order to keep the heat on, MacLellan said.

The high demand for assistance had left him worried that the program may not have enough money to make it through the winter, so they may need fundraising events to help all those in need.

'It's going to be a challenge'

The situation is similar in Yarmouth County, says Rev. Bill Newell, chair and treasurer of the local food bank and community fuel fund.

He said the fund gave out a total of $40,000 in assistance to between 300 and 350 households last year. This winter, he expects they will need at least $60,000 to $70,000 in order to meet demand.

So far, he said they have raised around $40,000.

The Yarmouth program will open in January and will also run until the end of March, provided it doesn't run out of money. It also relies almost exclusively on donations for its funding.

"It's going to be a challenge," Newell said. "This time of year, if we don't get the money, it gets pretty lean." 

The province also has a heating assistance rebate program.

It recently loosened eligibility requirements so that households with an income of up to $85,000 can qualify. But it's a rebate program, meaning applicants have to spend the money up front before receiving financial assistance.