Measuring the use of energy poverty coping strategies and the heat-or-eat trade-off in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

In Bridgewater, a small town in Nova Scotia, around 40% of households face energy poverty. Little research has examined energy poverty in Canada and how it affects the well-being of households. The aim of this study was to identify the ways households cope with energy poverty across socio-economic characteristics, paying particular attention to the heat-or-eat trade-off. Data were collected using a community-based survey on housing, energy use and costs, coping strategies, socio-economic characteristics, and well-being. Overall, 516 residents of Bridgewater completed the survey. Cross-tabulations and logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that the use of coping strategies was higher among women compared to men, young adults compared to other age groups, in households with children, and in lower-income households. Over one-third of respondents reported using the heat-or-eat trade-off. Women, young adults, those in dwellings in need of repairs, and those with lower education levels and lower household incomes were more likely to use the heat-or-eat trade-off. Our findings reveal that households vulnerable to energy poverty are forced to use a range of coping strategies, including strategies beyond those captured by the heat-or-eat trade-off. Better understanding the experience of households facing energy poverty can inform the creation of effective support programs.