Newfoundlanders Face Skyrocketing Heating Bills

0:00It's March 26th. This is Vancouver News today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. Folks in Newfoundland and Labrador, who rely on oil to heat their homes, are dealing with sharply higher bills this winter. Furnacell prices have jumped 74 cents per liter, from January 9th to March 26th. Now sitting between $1.95, and $2.14 per liter. That's 70 cents more than the same day last year. The spikes come from global market swings tied to the war in the Middle East. The province's public utilities board has made seven extra adjustments just this month, with prices shifting almost daily due to volatile wholesale costs. Residents are cutting back wherever they can, like dropping thermostats from 19 degrees Celsius to 16.5 degrees, layering on extra, clothes, or cracking the oven door after baking to trap warmth. Many are skipping full-house heating and finding small ways to stay comfortable.

1:00Seniors are hit hardest, with monthly bills now topping $1,000, up from around $842. Groups like the Public Sector Pensioners Association say folks are staying cooler, heading out during the day, or even bunking with family to manage. As temperatures stay low, and markets keep fluctuating, these families brace for more tough choices on the heat they need to get through the season.