Report
to/Rapport au:
Health,
Recreation and Social Services Committee/
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services
sociaux
and Council/et au Conseil
17 May 2004 / le 17 mai 2004
Submitted
by/Soumis par: Chair, Poverty Issues
Advisory Committee/
Présidente, Comité consultatif sur les questions liées à la pauvreté
Contact/Personne-ressource: Brenda Emond
Advisory Committee Coordinator, Corporate Services Department
Coordonnatrice de comités consultatifs, Services généraux
580-2424,
ext/poste 21801, Brenda.Emond@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°:
ACS2004-CCV-POI-0004 |
SUBJECT: POVERTY
ISSUES ADVISORY COMMITTEE – HYDRO ISSUES
OBJET: COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES QUESTIONS
LIÉES À LA PAUVRETÉ – QUESTIONS TOUCHANT L’ÉLECTRICITÉ
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That the Health, Recreation
and Social Services Committee request the Deputy City Manager, Community and
Protective Services facilitate a meeting between Enbridge Gas, the Hydro
Committee of the Coalition of Health and Community Resource Centres and the
Poverty Issues Advisory Committee’s Hydro Rate Working Group.
2. That the Health, Recreation
and Social Services Committee recommend to Council that Hydro Ottawa be
directed to partner with Share the Warmth.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
1. Que le Comité de la santé, des
loisirs et des services sociaux demande au Directeur municipal adjoint,
Services communautaires et de protection, de faciliter une réunion entre
Enbridge Gas, le Comité de l’électricité de la Coalition pour la santé et les
centres de ressources communautaires et le Groupe de travail des tarifs
d’électricité du Comité consultatif sur les questions liées à la pauvreté.
2. Que le Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux
recommande au Conseil municipal d’enjoindre Hydro Ottawa d’établir un partenariat avec Share the Warmth.
BACKGROUND
The Poverty Issues
Advisory Committee (PIAC) became involved with Hydro as a result of learning that low-income
families who were unable to pay their utility bill, were being cut off during
the late fall and winter season. A
sub-committee was formed to meet with Dossier Hydro, a francophone group that
liaison with families in need of support.
The two groups met and prepared a presentation to the Environmental
Services Committee on 27 May 2003 and to Hydro Ottawa on 27 August 2003. The purpose of their presentations was to
advise of the difficulties people were having because of their inability to pay
their hydro bill and to ensure that hydro is not cut at times when the weather
is extremely cold. They also wanted
Hydro Ottawa to give people the opportunity to work out a payment plan.
DISCUSSION
On 11 May 2004, the PIAC received a verbal update from Dossier Hydro on
their initiatives to date. The
committee learned of the difficulty the organization was having getting in
touch with
representatives from Enbridge Gas and Share the Warmth, a homeless prevention
program that works for low income families, seniors and the disabled. The PIAC recognized the need to clearly
identify to Hydro Ottawa the ramifications of cutting services when people
cannot pay. It was also questioned how
far the $2M provincial contribution would go to assist low-income families with
energy utilities.
The
Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee received a verbal presentation
from Share the Warmth on 15 April 2004.
A letter was provided following that date, explaining the situation
between Share the Warmth and Hydro Ottawa.
Following the discussion, the committee approved the aforementioned
Motions.
CONSULTATION
There was no broad public
consultation on this motion. However,
the following comments have been provided by the Community and Protective
Services Department:
Recommendation 1:
The Department is aware of the difficulties that utility support organizations such as PIAC and the Hydro Committee of the Coalition of Health and Community Resources Centres have had contacting Enbridge Gas.
Employment and
Financial Assistance (EFA) staff serving Ontario Works (OW) clients, as well as
other community resource centres and housing cooperatives, had difficulty
representing and problem solving issues for low-income residents in times of
crisis and emergency with Enbridge because of process and confidentiality
issues.
The EFA Branch has
worked with Enbridge to gain an understanding of the utility’s communication
process and timelines for social services agencies of Ontario. Currently, Enbridge is able to respond to
emails containing all required information within 24 to 48 hours, depending on
volume of inquiries. These discussions,
which have been ongoing for approximately a year, have attempted to streamline
the process so the City, and other community resource centres, can communicate
with Enbridge (via a central email account) regarding Ontario Disabilities
Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW) clients and low income residents,
at risk of having their natural gas disconnected. These clients may potentially be eligible to receive some funds
from the EFA Branch to assist with the cost of arrears. The EFA Accommodation Arrears Policy guides
staff decisions relating to the issuance of arrears benefits to ODSP, OW and
low-income residents via the City’s Essential Health and Social Supports
Program. Further research is being undertaken relating to confidentiality
issues associated with the Privacy Act given that administrative forms (e.g.,
consent to release and verify information) or verbal consent required by
Enbridge can cause delays in the delivery of arrears funding.
The Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services would be
pleased to facilitate ongoing discussions between the City, community agencies
with an interest in utility issues, and Enbridge Gas.
Recommendation 2:
The original letter from Share the Warmth to Councillor Cullen, which
served as a background to the PIAC discussion, as well as the Hydro Ottawa
response to that letter dated July 6, are attached for information.
Both Hydro Ottawa
and Share the Warmth have been forwarded copies of this report and have been
invited to attend the July 15 HRSS meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial
implications associated with this report.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Attachment 1 - Share the Warmth letter dated 28 April 2004
Attachment 2 - Hydro Ottawa letter dated 6 July 2004
DISPOSITION
The Coordinator, Health,
Recreation and Social Services Committee will inform the PIAC of the
disposition of this item.
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 2
