Boyle McCauley News

Since 1979 • April-May 2024 • Circulation 5000

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McCauley Senior Gets Gas Reconnected

Says companies penalize low-income people for being poor.

My gas was disconnected on August 27, even though I had paid at least $100 each month (I actually paid $986 in six months). I protested. I called various offices, asking for help. The Alberta Utilities Commission eventually ruled that Direct Energy Regulated Services (DERS) was within their legal right to disconnect my gas, because I had not paid the entire bill each month. What? I protested, to no avail. Nobody seemed to care. I was without heat or hot water for three and a half weeks.

Three weeks later, my photo was in the Edmonton Journal, with an article written about my situation. Suddenly, there was action. The Senior’s Advocate called to offer advice. Strangers wrote to offer to help pay. Many said they had trouble with this company. A few days later DERS phoned to arrange to reconnect the gas – insisting the charge of $125 for re-connection by ATCO Gas would stand.

Finally, the gas is back on in my house, and I have heat and hot water. But my protest is broader than my own situation. It applies to many low-income people. I spent many days trying to sort this out. The problem is poor communication, off-shore customer service, and computer-generated bills, which result in poor service for all customers. Agencies can assist, but they cannot help if we don’t know how or who to ask. Here are some of the things I learned:

1. An Alberta Senior’s Office is downtown at Jasper and 105 Street, main floor. They have info about programs and agencies that can help. Among them is a Senior’s Supplement program, both provincial and federal – a top-up for pensions that low-income seniors can apply for.

2. You can go on a “budget plan” where your yearly utility costs are divided by 12 months, and you pay a set amount each month, which is corrected each summer. This does NOT have to be automatically deducted from your bank account.

3. If you can’t pay the whole bill, you must call and make a payment arrangement. If you call, they cannot turn off your gas.

4. If you want to change to another company, and you’ve been late paying, you will have to pay an additional $500 deposit before they will take you as a customer. Low income people cannot afford that! So, these companies are penalizing poor people for being poor!

5. Ask to have your due date and billing date changed so it comes at a time when you can pay. They don’t like to do this, but if you insist, they will do it. They also need to give customers a longer time to pay. Many now allow just a couple of weeks.

6. Call, speak up and protest if you think something is not right. The Senior’s Advocate, Alberta Senior’s Office, SAGE (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton), and SALT (Seniors Action and Liaison Team) can help advocate on your behalf.

Many companies now have customer service offices that are off-shore, and the information is not always accurate. Most bills are computer generated and sent out. The companies don’t seem to want to hear from customers, and it’s especially frustrating when we can’t talk to a business office. We certainly have the right to express what our needs are, and we must find a way. The bottom line is these companies own the off-shore call centre, and they program the computers that generate the bills. They supposedly exist to SERVE customers. So WE have to hold them to account!

Dr. Joanne McNeal is a McCauley senior, educator, artist, musician, and writer.

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