One in five households across the Country experience energy poverty, defined as a struggle for a household to afford to heat and cool their home, spending at least 6% of their annual income on energy costs. This type of poverty is brought on by several factors such as income level, energy costs, home energy efficiency and access to affordable energy networks.
Yet reaching Canada’s goal of net zero by 2050 will require the efforts of all Canadians from coast to coast. However, the major upfront cost of green technology like solar panels and electric vehicles can be a barrier to adoption by lower-income households or those in energy poverty. With green technology often proving cheaper over their lifetime and offering opportunities for control over their energy use, the most vulnerable Canadians have a lot they can gain from the green energy transition that is currently not an option for them.
Since climate change is being felt across the country, the solutions should also be as universal but how can this be accomplished?