IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v165y2022ics1364032122005111.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A review and analysis of initiatives addressing energy poverty and vulnerability in Ontario, Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Das, Runa R.
  • Martiskainen, Mari
  • Bertrand, Lindsey M.
  • MacArthur, Julie L.

Abstract

This paper examines initiatives that assisted energy poor and energy vulnerable households in Ontario, Canada during 2003–2018. Providing a conceptualization for energy poverty and vulnerability, which lack a formal legislative definition in Canadian policy, the paper discusses the history of Ontario's energy sector and the levels of ‘energy burden’ that brought energy prices to the fore of the public debate. It then reviews 40 initiatives that have assisted energy poor or energy vulnerable households, largely within broader policy areas of energy efficiency and energy savings, housing provision, poverty reduction, healthcare, and climate change mitigation. These initiatives are categorized into three main thematic areas of 1) financial support, 2) energy efficiency and savings, and 3) consumer protection. Further analysis shows that the initiatives largely address short-term needs and focus on the symptoms of energy poverty and vulnerability, rather than on preventative measures. The paper concludes that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the underlying causes of energy poverty, to develop, target and evaluate effective solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Das, Runa R. & Martiskainen, Mari & Bertrand, Lindsey M. & MacArthur, Julie L., 2022. "A review and analysis of initiatives addressing energy poverty and vulnerability in Ontario, Canada," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:165:y:2022:i:c:s1364032122005111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2022.112617
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032122005111
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112617?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miu, Luciana & Hawkes, Adam D., 2020. "Private landlords and energy efficiency: Evidence for policymakers from a large-scale study in the United Kingdom," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    2. Keith J. Baker & Ronald Mould & Scott Restrick, 2018. "Rethink fuel poverty as a complex problem," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(8), pages 610-612, August.
    3. Audrey Dobbins & Francesco Fuso Nerini & Paul Deane & Steve Pye, 2019. "Strengthening the EU response to energy poverty," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 2-5, January.
    4. John Hills, 2012. "Final report of the Hills Independent Fuel Poverty Review: Getting the Measure of Fuel Poverty," CASE Reports casereport72, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    5. Winfield, Mark & Weiler, Scott, 2018. "Institutional diversity, policy niches, and smart grids: A review of the evolution of Smart Grid policy and practice in Ontario, Canada," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P2), pages 1931-1938.
    6. Michael J. Trebilcock & Roy Hrab, 2005. "Electricity Restructuring in Ontario," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1), pages 123-146.
    7. Bouzarovski, Stefan & Simcock, Neil, 2017. "Spatializing energy justice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 640-648.
    8. Anderson, Will & White, Vicki & Finney, Andrea, 2012. "Coping with low incomes and cold homes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 40-52.
    9. Liddell, Christine & Morris, Chris & McKenzie, S.J.P. & Rae, Gordon, 2012. "Measuring and monitoring fuel poverty in the UK: National and regional perspectives," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 27-32.
    10. Dominic J. Bednar & Tony G. Reames, 2020. "Recognition of and response to energy poverty in the United States," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 432-439, June.
    11. Rosenbloom, Daniel & Meadowcroft, James, 2014. "The journey towards decarbonization: Exploring socio-technical transitions in the electricity sector in the province of Ontario (1885–2013) and potential low-carbon pathways," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 670-679.
    12. Brian Rivard and Adonis Yatchew, 2016. "Integration of Renewables into the Ontario Electricity System," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Bollino-M).
    13. Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2015. "Fuel poverty, affordability, and energy justice in England: Policy insights from the Warm Front Program," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 361-371.
    14. Winfield, Mark & Gibson, Robert B. & Markvart, Tanya & Gaudreau, Kyrke & Taylor, Jennifer, 2010. "Implications of sustainability assessment for electricity system design: The case of the Ontario Power Authority's integrated power system plan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 4115-4126, August.
    15. Pachauri, Shonali & Spreng, Daniel, 2011. "Measuring and monitoring energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7497-7504.
    16. Reames, Tony Gerard, 2016. "Targeting energy justice: Exploring spatial, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in urban residential heating energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 549-558.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shapira, Stav & Teschner, Naama, 2023. "No heat, no eat: (Dis)entangling insecurities and their implications for health and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    2. Chen, Xiaolan & Xie, Qiuyue & Cao, Xiang & Li, Qilin, 2024. "Examining the effectiveness of China's energy poverty alleviation policies: A text analysis on inter-provincial panel data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sandrine Meyer & Laurence Holzemer & Thiago Nyssens Moraes Da Silva & Kevin Maréchal, 2016. "Things are not always what it is measured: On the importance of adequately assessing energy poverty," Working Papers CEB 16-025, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Igawa, Moegi & Managi, Shunsuke, 2022. "Energy poverty and income inequality: An economic analysis of 37 countries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    3. Lowans, Christopher & Furszyfer Del Rio, Dylan & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Rooney, David & Foley, Aoife M., 2021. "What is the state of the art in energy and transport poverty metrics? A critical and comprehensive review," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    4. Johannes Thema & Florin Vondung, 2020. "Expenditure-Based Indicators of Energy Poverty—An Analysis of Income and Expenditure Elasticities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Recep Ulucak & Ramazan Sari & Seyfettin Erdogan & Rui Alexandre Castanho, 2021. "Bibliometric Literature Analysis of a Multi-Dimensional Sustainable Development Issue: Energy Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.
    6. Lee, Heerae & Shon, Huijoo, 2024. "Spatial and temporal patterns of energy aid and poverty in four African countries: Focusing on distributive and recognition justice," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    7. Agbim, Chinelo & Araya, Felipe & Faust, Kasey M. & Harmon, Dana, 2020. "Subjective versus objective energy burden: A look at drivers of different metrics and regional variation of energy poor populations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    8. Best, Rohan & Hammerle, Mara & Mukhopadhaya, Pundarik & Silber, Jacques, 2021. "Targeting household energy assistance," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    9. Sunikka-Blank, Minna & Galvin, Ray, 2021. "Single parents in cold homes in Europe: How intersecting personal and national characteristics drive up the numbers of these vulnerable households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    10. Tom Hargreaves & Noel Longhurst, 2018. "The lived experience of energy vulnerability among social housing tenants: emotional and subjective engagements," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2018-07, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    11. Ye, Yuxiang & Koch, Steven F., 2021. "Measuring energy poverty in South Africa based on household required energy consumption," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    12. Yiming Xiao & Han Wu & Guohua Wang & Hong Mei, 2021. "Mapping the Worldwide Trends on Energy Poverty Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (1999–2019)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-22, February.
    13. Drescher, Katharina & Janzen, Benedikt, 2021. "Determinants, persistence, and dynamics of energy poverty: An empirical assessment using German household survey data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    14. Mattioli, Giulio & Lucas, Karen & Marsden, Greg, 2018. "Reprint of Transport poverty and fuel poverty in the UK: From analogy to comparison," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 114-125.
    15. Dogan, Eyup & Madaleno, Mara & Inglesi-Lotz, Roula & Taskin, Dilvin, 2022. "Race and energy poverty: Evidence from African-American households," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    16. Mattioli, Giulio & Lucas, Karen & Marsden, Greg, 2017. "Transport poverty and fuel poverty in the UK: From analogy to comparison," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 93-105.
    17. Moore, David & Webb, Amanda L., 2022. "Evaluating energy burden at the urban scale: A spatial regression approach in Cincinnati, Ohio," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    18. Kahouli, Sondès & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Regional energy poverty reevaluated: A direct measurement approach applied to France and Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    19. Keran Sarah Boyd & Christian Calvillo & Tanja Mueller & Xiaoyi Mu & Tong Zhu, 2023. "The Intersection of Fuel and Transport Policy in Scotland: A Review of Policy, Definitions and Metrics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-14, June.
    20. Shuchen Cong & Destenie Nock & Yueming Lucy Qiu & Bo Xing, 2022. "Unveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gap," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:165:y:2022:i:c:s1364032122005111. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.