BILL NO. 490

(as introduced)

1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
3 Charles III, 2024

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Energy Poverty Reduction Act

 

Susan Leblanc
Dartmouth North

First Reading: September 17, 2024

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

 

An Act to Reduce Energy Poverty

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Energy Poverty Reduction Act.

2 In this Act, "Minister" means the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables.

3 Subject to Section 8, the Minister shall, no later than December 31, 2024,

(a) evaluate potential residential energy subsidy programs in accordance with Recommendation 12 of the Nova Scotia Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force report "Modernizing Energy from Transition to Transformation" and the Nova Scotia Energy Poverty Task Force's Energy Affordability Program Report; and

(b) implement a program designed to help with residential energy costs and alleviate energy poverty.

4 (1) The Minister shall integrate all existing energy efficiency programs into the program implemented under Section 3, including

(a) the Home Warming Program; and

(b) the Home Energy Assessment Program.

(2) The programs referred to in subsection (1) must, once integrated, give priority to utility customers with high utility consumption patterns or ongoing payment challenges, as identified through the program implemented under Section 3.

5 (1) Nova Scotia Power Incorporated shall submit a proposed arrears-management program for approval by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board that accords with the program implemented under Section 3.

(2) The arrears-management program must allow customers to offset their arrears balance by participating in the program implemented under Section 3 and by paying any future bills on time.

6 (1) The Minister shall review the Home Energy Assistance Top-up Fund and other emergency bill support programs offered by third-party service providers.

(2) Subject to Section 8, the Minister shall make additional funding available to programs referred to in subsection (1) if

(a) the programs are available year-round;

(b) the programs are accessible as needed; and

(c) access to the programs is based on need and not restricted by the recipient's income.

(3) The Minister shall review the programs referred to in subsection (1) to ensure that they are adequately funded and are meeting the needs they are intended to address.

7 (1) The Minister shall take immediate action to support, strengthen and set targets for energy efficiency programming while prioritizing equitable access and benefits for low-income and marginalized Nova Scotians.

(2) This action must include, but is not limited to,

(a) development of a legislated energy efficiency resource standard covering all energy sources, with savings attributable to Efficiency Nova Scotia activities;

(b) minimum electricity demand-side management annual savings equal to one and one half per cent of annual sales in the year 2023, growing to at least three per cent each year by 2030;

(c) a plan to eliminate oil heating in the Province by 2050 at the latest, with interim targets for fossil fuel savings and the number of buildings undergoing deep retrofits; and

(d) establishment of a minimum budget for low-income energy efficiency programs in all plans to meet energy efficiency resource standard requirements.

(3) The minimum budget in clause (2)(d) may be increased by the Minister or the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board if cost-effective or deemed by the Minister or the Board to be complementary to achieve renewable energy targets and net-zero emissions.

8 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.

 

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