I have always told my daughters and students that it is very important to stand up for your rights, and not to let an injustice go on without questioning it. So I thought I can’t be the only senior struggling to pay high utility bills. Even in the summer when the actual gas usage is $2.80 or $3.20, with admin and delivery fees, the bills are always over $70. I was still trying to get caught up from the high winter gas bills, and I have paid Direct Energy Regulated Services almost $1000 in the last six months, but still they disconnected my gas in late August for what they call “non-payment of bills.”

But I protested that I have paid the bill – at least $100 every month, but not in full each month. So how does disconnecting the gas, which means an extra cost of $125 for ATCO gas to turn it back on, help seniors stay in their homes? Don’t they realize that we are living on fixed incomes and there just isn’t any more money, especially in the middle of the month? Timing is also an issue—the disconnect notice arrived mid-month after I had paid all the bills and there was no more money to pay anything further until my next pension checks came in at the end of the month. They disconnected my gas on August 27, and I had paid the bill that morning.

Getting in touch with Customer Service is difficult because they are off-shore and their lines are often busy. They could not tell me about an equalized payment plan, and I could not get a phone number of someone to talk to here in Alberta. So I contacted the Alberta Utilities Commission people who called me back almost right away, and they called Direct Energy Reg. Services in Calgary. They have now said they cannot help. I also called SAGE, and many other numbers asking for help. They told me that there is help for people who get disconnect notices, but I am way past that, so I am still trying to see who can help my situation. AUC has just advised that there is help at UCAhelps@gov.ab.ca. By the time you read this, the issue should all be resolved, I hope.

In the meantime I do have electricity, and I thank God for the solar panels on my roof which produce power, but I am still paying for them. I have a small heater and have used the oven set on warm to help take the chill off the inside of my 105-year-old house that had no insulation when I bought it. I am still working on that. However, heating water on the stove to take a bath upstairs is a real challenge. I blew the breakers, set off the fire alarm due to the steam, and discovered that the bathtub does not hold water for long due to a faulty plug! What a comic circus!

My point in sharing this story is that we cannot let big companies treat us (customers) without humanity. We are not numbers – we are living human beings who are trying to be responsible citizens, and we need warmth in our houses! It seems that many of the large companies have lost sight of their humanity, and the purpose of their business – to truly SERVE their customers. They certainly do not know what it is like to live on a fixed income when we cannot just pull extra money out of the clouds, whenever we get a bill. So speak up and protest when you see injustice! An update on this situation will be provided next month!

Dr. Joanne McNeal is a semi-retired university professor, musician, artist, writer, and activist.