Province still offering heating assistance

March 23, 2009

Their hearts may still be warm, but Miramichi residents still hoping for heating assistance from the Salvation Army will be left out in the cold.

On Wednesday the Salvation Army announced their Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program has come to a close after helping more than 2,200 households this winter.

Miramichi Salvation Army Cpt. Wilson Sutton said when the program was originally started it was only meant to run until April or whenever the funds ran out.

Since the program ended, he said he had contacted a few people whose applications hadn't been processed yet to let them know they wouldn't receive any funding.

"A few people are a little concerned that they missed getting it, but most of them are understanding so we'll see what happens in the future."

The Salvation Army administered the Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program with $660,000 from the province to help people in need of heating assistance. New Brunswick businesses also contributed another $350,000 to the program.

Sutton said there were a few people who needed to get information in to the Salvation Army to complete their applications, but didn't get it in time.

"Some of those were lost, out in the cold on it."

There were a few people he talked to who were a little concerned that they missed out on the program, he said.

"I haven't had anything like too too serious." The rest of the applicants will receive a letter notifying them they won't receive any funding.

Sutton said there were some funds donated to the Salvation Army for emergency situations and there may be some of that money left to provide emergency help, if needed.

"If there's an emergency situation, and I'm talking about a dire emergency, we will look at that on an individual basis."

The program was new to the province this year and took some getting used to, but most people were patient as they went through the application process.

"Most people were very understanding of it."

Social Development Minister Mary Schryer said the program was set up as a partnership between business, government and the Salvation Army to provide extra heating assistance if people needed it.

"The program did exactly what it set out to do."

There was a misunderstanding about the government's home heating assistance programs because some people thought Warm Hearts, Warm Homes was the government's assistance program this year, she said.

"The Department of Social Development has always had an emergency heating program available to people of New Brunswick."

Schryer said the province enhanced the program and increased the value of assistance for emergencies from $270 to $550.

"The Warm Hearts was a small portion of the $6.3 million package that was put together by this government."

Both programs were needs based, but the Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program was different from the emergency heating supplement, she said.

"What it did was give people a second place to apply."

Schryer said people who couldn't get help from Warm Hearts, Warm Homes may be eligible for emergency heating assistance.

"We've always had the emergency program and it's still there and we encourage people to apply." The government was a partner in the Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program, along with businesses around the province, she said.

"This was a program that was an example of New Brunswickers helping New Brunswickers through a partnership and government."

Schryer said the Warm Hearts, Warm Homes program was a success.

"That was an extra program that never existed in the province before, but all the other programs are still there."

About 700 people applied for the emergency heating assistance, which is about the same as last year, she said.

"With the completion of the Warm Hearts we'll probably see that increase."

But Schryer said she didn't know if the program would be available again next winter.

"That's going to be up to the stakeholders."