The Town of Bridgewater is aiming to put an end to energy poverty by taking part in the Canadian Smart Cities Challenge.
At stake, a Federal Grant worth $5 million dollars, that will help retrofit many of the older local homes in the area and make them more efficient, while saving homeowners money on energy costs.
According to Leon deVreede, Sustainability Officer for the Town of Bridgewater, 2 out of every 5 people in Bridgewater live in Energy Poverty.
“We have a a number of studies, both local and drawing on national statistics to show that around 40 per-cent of households in the Bridgewater area suffer from that challenge,” says deVreede.
The challenge? Having enough money to heat the home and still make ends meet in other ways; whether it’s purchasing food, medications, or other necessities.
“So what you’re really doing is your losing that energy through the walls, roof and basements of these older homes, so if we can help people make energy retrofits to their homes, we’re looking at taking a huge bite out of their energy bill,” adds deVreede.
Amy Oickle and Nelson Nolan are ready to talk about your experiences with energy poverty and about what the Smart Cities Challenge could do to help end energy poverty in our community. Stop by the LCLC until 2 p.m., or from 5 to 7 tonight, to have your say! #smartcitiesCanada pic.twitter.com/BS6XwrG3vd
— Town of Bridgewater (@TownBridgewater) April 5, 2018
