Canadian propane costs soar due to supply chain issues
There are 1.5 million households in Canada that rely on propane for heating.
Now those homeowners will have to pay a lot more to stay warm this winter following a price hike in propane costs.
A couple from Ennismore, Ont., north of Peterborough, has to get their propane tank filled about four times a year and they recently got their new propane fixed billing contract.
The price last year was 67 cents per litre for propane. The new price is 86 cents -- about 28 per cent higher.
The increase means they’ll end up spending $300 a month on propane, almost double the $176 they are used to paying.
“As seniors and someone with a disability, we feel we can't handle that type of increase," Warren Bussey told CTV News Toronto.
RELATED: Tips for saving on your heating bill as gas prices spike
The couple says with inflation, increasing food prices, gas and other items, they're having a hard enough time paying their bills as it is.
“It's pushing us over the edge. I can't sleep at night. I worry about what's going to happen to us," Jacki Cumming said.
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Teresa Crosato, senior manager of marketing communications with Superior Propane, (which services the home) said the price increase is the “reality” across the energy sector.
"Increased demand is outpacing supply which in turn is raising energy prices around the world.” Crosato said. "Price increases are impacting not just propane but also furnace oil, gasoline and diesel. Increased demand is outpacing supply which in turn is raising energy prices around the world.”
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Shannon Watt with the Canadian Propane Association said it’s hearing from concerned homeowners about the price hike and is calling on provincial governments to bring in rebate programs to help propane users get through the winter.
“Propane is not immune to inflationary pressures that we are seeing elsewhere. I would recommend that consumers who are concerned about this winter heating season to be reaching out to their politicians."
Bussey and Cumming say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their propane costs and are hoping the government will bring in a plan to help them stay warm this winter.
Meanwhile, the Alberta government has introduced a rebate program to help people pay their energy bills. The Propane Association says it's hoping Ontario can introduce something similar to help customers deal with the price hikes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.