By Jacqueline Wilson, CELA Counsel, and Julie Lopez, CELA Articling student
Indoor cooling is essential to keep people vulnerable to heat safe during extreme heat events. When the British Columbia government studied the tragic heat dome in 2021 which killed at least 619 people, it found that 98% of those deaths occurred indoors. The Canadian Environmental Law Association is promoting programs that are available to low-income residents of Hamilton with the hope that more people will gain access to mechanical cooling like air conditioning (AC) or heat pumps in their units.
Low-income residents of the City of Hamilton may be eligible for an AC unit as a discretionary benefit if they are recipients of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program, or through the City of Hamilton’s Special Supports Program.
Additionally, the province of Ontario offers free energy efficiency upgrades and heat pumps for some low-income tenants and owners that pay their own electricity bills.
Below are overviews of the three programs, as well as details related to eligibility and application windows for each.
- Hamilton, Special Supports Program for individuals that are not recipients of OW or ODSP
*Applications for Air Conditioners are accepted between June 1st and September 30th only.
The Special Supports Program provides a range of health-related benefits to City residents living independently in the community to improve their quality of life, health, wellness, safety and self-sufficiency. A prescription or note from a doctor or medical professional will be required when you apply.
Please note Special Supports Program does not fund equipment, devices or services that have already been ordered or purchased.
To qualify, the participant must be a low-income family, individual or senior who:
- Are 18 years of age and older
- Are a City of Hamilton resident
- Does not receive Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
- Have a total family income below the current Statistics Canada Low-Income Measurement (LIM) for your family size
The following documents are required to submit an application
- ID for every person in your household
- Last year’s Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency, or a CRA Proof of Income Statement, for every adult family member
- A letter of assessment from a healthcare professional
To apply, applicants with an email address can apply online on the City of Hamilton Subsidy and Support Programs Application Website.
Applicants who do not have an email address can apply by phone at 905-546-2590 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday or by filling out the paper application form. This form must be signed and dated. It can be mailed or dropped off at the address below.
Special Supports Program
Ontario Works Mountain Office
1550 Upper James Street, Unit 14 A
Hamilton, Ontario L9B 2L6
2. Hamilton, Special Supports Program for recipients of OW, ODSP or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities
*Applications for Air Conditioners are accepted between June 1st and September 30th only.
The Special Supports Program also allows recipients of OW, ODSP or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities to apply for a discretionary benefit of an AC unit.
A prescription or note from a doctor or medical professional will be required when you apply. It must indicate that a cooling device is required to control the room temperature/ humidity as part of a treatment plan and is necessary for the preservation of the patient’s health and safety.
Current medical conditions that are recognized:
- Cancer
- Chronic heart or chronic lung conditions (i.e.COPD)
- Neurological conditions
- HIV
- People on dialysis
- People with chronic mental disorders on medication
- Severe asthma
This list is not exclusionary. You may still apply for an air conditioner based on your health provider’s assessment.
To apply, benefit recipients with an email address can apply online on the City of Hamilton Subsidy and Support Programs Application Website.
Benefits recipients who do not have an email can apply by phone at 905-546-2590 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.
For further information on the Special Supports Program, consult this City of Hamilton webpage or consult this Poster created by the Canadian Environmental Law Association, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and Health Providers Against Poverty.
3. Save on Energy – Energy Affordability Program
The Save on Energy – Energy Affordability Program offers cold climate air source heat pumps to income-eligible households with electric heating. The EAP is designed for income-eligible electricity customers to help reduce their energy costs and increase their home comfort by providing no-cost energy-efficient upgrades for their homes. It includes tenants and owners.
The Save on Energy™ Energy Affordability Program (EAP) is an electricity conservation program offered by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and delivered province-wide.
If you live in Ontario and are responsible for paying your electricity bill as a homeowner or as a renter, you may be eligible for the Energy Affordability Program. Residents of social housing also may be eligible.
To qualify, the participant must be:
- A resident of an eligible Social Housing property, OR
- An individual who owns, rents or leases a residence, is listed as the primary or secondary utility account holder, AND meets ONE of the following criteria:
- Has an annual household income for the previous year that does not exceed limits indicated here.
- Received assistance from one of the following programs in the past 12 months:
3. Any on-reserve community member.
To apply, an individual can contact the Save on Energy program by the Independent Electricity System Operator by phone at 1-844-770-3148 or submit an application form online.
For more information on the program, please consult the Energy Affordability Program webpage and Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps webpage.
Blog: Air Conditioning Support Programs Available in Hamilton This Summer
By Jacqueline Wilson, CELA Counsel, and Julie Lopez, CELA Articling student
Indoor cooling is essential to keep people vulnerable to heat safe during extreme heat events. When the British Columbia government studied the tragic heat dome in 2021 which killed at least 619 people, it found that 98% of those deaths occurred indoors. The Canadian Environmental Law Association is promoting programs that are available to low-income residents of Hamilton with the hope that more people will gain access to mechanical cooling like air conditioning (AC) or heat pumps in their units.
Low-income residents of the City of Hamilton may be eligible for an AC unit as a discretionary benefit if they are recipients of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program, or through the City of Hamilton’s Special Supports Program.
Additionally, the province of Ontario offers free energy efficiency upgrades and heat pumps for some low-income tenants and owners that pay their own electricity bills.
Below are overviews of the three programs, as well as details related to eligibility and application windows for each.
*Applications for Air Conditioners are accepted between June 1st and September 30th only.
The Special Supports Program provides a range of health-related benefits to City residents living independently in the community to improve their quality of life, health, wellness, safety and self-sufficiency. A prescription or note from a doctor or medical professional will be required when you apply.
Please note Special Supports Program does not fund equipment, devices or services that have already been ordered or purchased.
To qualify, the participant must be a low-income family, individual or senior who:
The following documents are required to submit an application
To apply, applicants with an email address can apply online on the City of Hamilton Subsidy and Support Programs Application Website.
Applicants who do not have an email address can apply by phone at 905-546-2590 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday or by filling out the paper application form. This form must be signed and dated. It can be mailed or dropped off at the address below.
Special Supports Program
Ontario Works Mountain Office
1550 Upper James Street, Unit 14 A
Hamilton, Ontario L9B 2L6
2. Hamilton, Special Supports Program for recipients of OW, ODSP or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities
*Applications for Air Conditioners are accepted between June 1st and September 30th only.
The Special Supports Program also allows recipients of OW, ODSP or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities to apply for a discretionary benefit of an AC unit.
A prescription or note from a doctor or medical professional will be required when you apply. It must indicate that a cooling device is required to control the room temperature/ humidity as part of a treatment plan and is necessary for the preservation of the patient’s health and safety.
Current medical conditions that are recognized:
This list is not exclusionary. You may still apply for an air conditioner based on your health provider’s assessment.
To apply, benefit recipients with an email address can apply online on the City of Hamilton Subsidy and Support Programs Application Website.
Benefits recipients who do not have an email can apply by phone at 905-546-2590 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.
For further information on the Special Supports Program, consult this City of Hamilton webpage or consult this Poster created by the Canadian Environmental Law Association, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and Health Providers Against Poverty.
3. Save on Energy – Energy Affordability Program
The Save on Energy – Energy Affordability Program offers cold climate air source heat pumps to income-eligible households with electric heating. The EAP is designed for income-eligible electricity customers to help reduce their energy costs and increase their home comfort by providing no-cost energy-efficient upgrades for their homes. It includes tenants and owners.
The Save on Energy™ Energy Affordability Program (EAP) is an electricity conservation program offered by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and delivered province-wide.
If you live in Ontario and are responsible for paying your electricity bill as a homeowner or as a renter, you may be eligible for the Energy Affordability Program. Residents of social housing also may be eligible.
To qualify, the participant must be:
3. Any on-reserve community member.
To apply, an individual can contact the Save on Energy program by the Independent Electricity System Operator by phone at 1-844-770-3148 or submit an application form online.
For more information on the program, please consult the Energy Affordability Program webpage and Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps webpage.
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