United Way of Bruce Grey (UWBG) says the organization is receiving many calls from residents who have received disconnection notices with the provincial electricity and natural gas disconnection moratoriums ending on Thursday.
A media release from United Way shares that the moratoriums on hydro and natural gas disconnections, which run through the winter months, were scheduled to end April 30, with utility providers able to begin disconnecting customers for nonpayment as of May 1.
Customers who are at risk of disconnection are being encouraged to reach out and look into financial assistance programs.
Hydro One and other company customers should call the LEAP program at 855-487-5327. Westario Power customers should call Bruce County Housing at 800-265-3022. Applications for customers who are already disconnected will be prioritized by the LEAP program.
Customers who have received a disconnection notice may also request a temporary hold on their service disconnection from LEAP or the United Way of Bruce Grey, while applications are being processed. However, it is important to note that:
Hold requests must be submitted to the utility, by the program agency before the start of the 14-day disconnection notice period
Utilities may decline hold requests if the outstanding balance exceeds the maximum LEAP grant amount
Hold requests are not guaranteed, and approval is at the discretion of the utility
"We’re already experiencing extremely high call volumes, with our phones ringing off the hook from residents who have received disconnection notices this week, for next week. It highlights the urgency of the situation many are facing," said Francesca Dobbyn, Executive Director of UWBG. "Last year, we stretched to meet demand, providing $55,000 more in utility support than we have available this year, which resulted in a $42,000 deficit for the United Way in 2025. We cannot take on that level of financial risk again, and we cannot keep pace with this growing need on our own."
For more information about available assistance programs, including LEAP, utility customers can call 211.
