CONFERENCE MATERIALS
Conference kit

Final Agenda for 2013 LIEN annual conference

Description of LIEN and its work

Acronyms

Speaker biographies

List of Participants

Evaluation Form

Presentations

Keynote address – Rosemarie T Leclair, OEB

LIEN advocacy activities update – Mary Todorow

Proposal for a low-income energy affordability program – Roger Colton

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) – Rachel Anderson, OEB

Climate change and low-income communities – Theresa McClenaghan, CELA

OPA saveONenergy Home Assistance Program – Lenard Hart, GreenSaver

Enbridge Gas low-income progrmas – Jennifer Cittadini

Union Gas low-income programs – Julia Hummel

Toronto’s Tower Renewal Initiative – Aderonke Akande

Final Agenda for 2013 LIEN annual conference

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Harbourfront Community Centre, Dance Studio, 627 Queens Quay West (corner Bathurst St), Toronto

What:
A gathering for social service agencies, low-income and affordable housing advocates, environmental organizations, anti-poverty groups, community legal clinics, and representatives from government agencies and utility companies, to share information on low-income energy issues such as:

• Rising energy prices and the need for a low-income rate affordability program
• Addressing energy affordability within the context of the Ontario Energy Board’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program
• Reducing bills and pollution through energy conservation programs for low-income consumers

There will also be a special keynote address from the Chair of the Ontario Energy Board, Ms. Rosemarie T. Leclair.

There is no registration fee for this conference and lunch will be provided, but we ask that you register as soon as possible so that we can order the right amount of food. Space is limited. Preference will be given to those who register by March 20, 2013.

Registration is now closed.

Where: Online (webinar)

What: With electricity bills projected to increase by 46% from 2010-2015, low-income residential consumers in Ontario (about 733,000 households) may face housing affordability problems and could be forced to make difficult spending decisions such as paying for heat or food. To proactively address this looming crisis, the Low-Income Energy Network (LIEN) is working with a consultant Roger Colton, a U.S. based expert on low-income energy issues, to develop a ratepayer-funded electricity rate affordability program along with a cost estimate for delivering it to Ontario’s low-income consumers. LIEN has renewed its efforts to advocate for such a program and is working to build public awareness about, and support for, this proposal. The webinar will begin with an overview of LIEN’s advocacy activities and culminate with a detailed presentation of the electricity rate affordability program.

Who: Presentations by Roger Colton, Mary Todorow, Zee Bhanji

How:  https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=56izkd9ql46m OR http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/86159

Space is limited so register today!

UPDATE: For the audio recording and presentation slides, please go to: http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/86159

•           a backgrounder on energy poverty that outlines the problem
•           a summary of existing low-income energy programs in the province and the current landscape
•           a list of barriers and common issues facing low-income energy consumers
•           examples of how to work locally to end energy poverty in your community
•           tips for dealing with your local media, including a sample opinion piece that can be tailored
•           helpful conservation tips
•           other resources, such as statistics

LIEN’s energy poverty toolkit is intended to be a “living document” which will continue to be altered, amended and updated by either a limited or unrestricted group. This is to ensure that it is both relevant and current. We will continue to update the toolkit and we invite you to provide feedback and share your own ideas and resources so that all community members can benefit from your knowledge and experience. Comments as to how it might be improved or additional material added would therefore be welcomed.

Click to open document:

LIEN energy poverty toolkit (updated January 2013)

Disclaimer: Much of the information contained in the toolkit is a compilation of existing resources (e.g. Ontario Energy Board website). However, it has been developed and arranged in a manner that should facilitate easy use. The reader is encouraged to follow web links to other documents in order to obtain additional information about specific areas.

LEAP manual

The OEB has also posted the results of the LEAP EFA and Winter Warmth programs reported by electricity and natural gas distributors for 2011.

Results of the LEAP EFA and WW programs

CSUMB can be used to prevent disconnection of utilities (gas, electricity, water) or to restore utility services if there has been a disconnection of service. It can also be used for utility deposits. The Home Repairs Benefit can be used to repair or replace unsafe electrical wiring, and furnaces or wood stoves.

Cutting these benefits is the wrong decision!

Click here to send an email against these cuts – fill out your name and address, add some comments about the impact of losing these benefits in your community, and click the submit button.

Your email will be sent to John Milloy, Minister of Community and Social Services, with copies to Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance.

Copies will go to Progressive Conservative and NDP Critics in these areas.

This campaign is a joint project of two of LIEN’s steering committee members, ACTO (Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario), and ISAC (Income Security Advocacy Centre).

LIEN is offering a workshop on low-income energy poverty issues! The workshop will be hosted by the Homeless Coalition of Windsor-Essex County.

This FREE workshop offers great networking opportunities and will provide participants with information on available energy assistance and conservation/efficiency programs in Ontario.

Who is this workshop for?

Workshop participants may come from a wide range of experience and organizations. Ideally they will include:

• Staff or community members who want to be better able to assist low-income consumers in their own communities
• Individuals who are actively involved in energy awareness and conservation campaigns and want to explore certain topics in greater depth
• Low-income individuals who, having experienced energy poverty, can offer insight into what kind of information might be beneficial to them

Date: Friday, April 13, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
Location: St. Clair College Centre for the Arts, 201 Riverside Drive West

Register Now!

Fill in the online registration form below

OR

Contact your local representative in Windsor:
Danette Dutot
519-256-1831
ddutot@citizen-advocacy.ca

Registration is now closed.

LEAP has three components:
- Emergency financial assistance (rolled out in January 1, 2011)
- More flexible customer service rules for low-income consumers (came into force on October 1, 2011)
- Targeted energy conservation programs offered by gas and electric utilities (staggered rollout)

The webinar presentations will be given by staff at the Ontario Energy Board, Ontario Power Authority, Enbridge Gas, Union Gas and LIEN.

Space is limited so please register today!

Webinar 1: Thursday, November 10, from noon – 1pm
- LIEN’s energy poverty strategy
- LEAP emergency financial assistance, new customer service rules, compliance & enforcement issues
Presenters: Zee Bhanji/Mary Todorow, Lenore Dougan, Donna Kinapen
Facilitator: Barb De Ruyter

* Registration for webinar 1: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=7d4x80h9tkxc

UPDATE: For the audio recording and presentation slides, please go to: http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/83055

Webinar 2: Tuesday, November 15, from noon – 1pm
- LIEN’s energy poverty strategy
- OPA low-income conservation programs
- Gas utilities’ low-income conservation programs
Presenters: Zee Bhanji/Mary Todorow, Nicole Hynum, Erika Lontoc, Tracey Brooks
Facilitator: Barb De Ruyter

* Registration for webinar 2: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=est16qmg68f2

UPDATE: For the audio recording and presentation slides, please go to: http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/webinar/83068