For Immediate Release
9 February, 2023
Government must immediately increase home heating oil subsidies for people living on income support in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation units. The failure of government to help with the cost of living crisis means people on income support have to choose between eating and heating their home. Dinn points out that although there is an oil subsidy in place for people on income support, this number has not increased since 2016. The subsidy gives $71/month to those on the island portion of the province, and $132/month for those in Labrador.
“My office has received a number of calls from constituents who are freezing because they can’t afford to get their oil tank filled up,” said Dinn. “$852 dollars for the year will not make a dent when the average fill up of an oil tank is around $500 a month, and more in Labrador.”
Government has announced the one-off cost-of-living measures they have put in place, but the price of food, transportation, home heating are steadily increasing. One-time payments may provide a moment of relief, but it does not reach far enough to ensure people on income support can have a stable, safe and healthy life.
The NL NDP is calling on government to make a long-term investments that make up for years of chronic underfunding of the oil subsidies and that the program then for it to be tied to the consumer price index. The NL NDP leader also suggests broader supports to help those not on income supports facing the same pressures from inflation.
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca