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J Wtt ' d h U ' Page A6 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ June 7,2006 durhamregion.com Durham woman, group fight for energy Want low-income program saved from chopping block BY ERIN HATFIELD Staff Writer DURHAM - With a Canadian low-income energy efficiency program facing the chopping block, a Durham non-profit agency is taking up the fight to see it live on. An initiative of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Corporation and Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy, the EnerGuide for Low-Income Households (EGLIH) program is designed to help low-income residents permanently reduce their energy bills by an average of 30 per cent, and cut individual individual household emissions by three to four tonnes annually. "I don't even know why they cancelled it," Maggie Robertson said. "Did they do it to pay for something else?" Ms. Robertson is a widow living in Pickering on a fixed income. Through EGLIH she qualified for a $3,500 grant to make her home more energy efficient. She learned about the program through a tax form she received in the mail. Her home was built in 1964 and the furnace was aged so she decided to go through the application application process. An energy adviser come to her home, tested its efficiency efficiency and got the necessary estimates for the recommended recommended improvements. "But just before I mailed them off I got a call from the office in Peterborough saying the program had been cancelled because of the federal government's budget," Ms. Robertson Robertson said. Angela Wheeler, executive director of the non-profit Durham Durham Sustain Ability (DSA), said the decision to cut the EnerGuide EnerGuide program is a great loss. "We may lose this great program program and that is a shame," Ms. Wheeler said. DSA is a member of Green Communities Canada (GCC). The national organization is a network of organizations from across the country and is the delivery agent for the EGLIH Dan McTeague program. An open letter released by GCC calls on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to confirm the federal government's commitment commitment to the program. The letter came after GCC received indications indications from federal officials that the new $500 million, five-year program may be cancelled. Dan McTeague, MP for Pickering- Scarborough East, has taken on Ms. Robertson's cause, bringing it up in the House of Commons Commons on May 10. "This is a program to promote energy efficiency, yet almost 50 cents of every dollar goes to inspec-. lions and administration and never reaches the homeowner," Gary Lunn, minister ofmatural resources, said in the House on May 10. "That is not in the taxpayers' interest. It is not economically efficient. It is not environmentally environmentally efficient and that is why this program has to end." However, Mr. Lunn did say Ms. Robertson will receive her grant as she applied before the program was cancelled. The weight loss program you'll love for life. r ! Bylaw meant to keep rowdy kids out of parks From page A1 was simply a matter of giving giving police an enforcement tool, should they find people misusing misusing parks overnight. "The problem is with the park revellers," revellers," agreed Mayor John Mutton. "They're the'ones that cause problems, problems, disturbances and park vandalism at night." • The new bylaw also, contains provisions provisions for use of sports fields. And, while it stipulates permits are needed for organized organized sports activities, that's more of a house-keeping issue, said Mr. Horvath. "Organized play should be Don MacArthur permitted so we can ensure proper maintenance is done," he said. But, a group of children heading heading down to the local park with balls, bats and gloves needn't fear repercussions, repercussions, said councillors. councillors. "Ten-year-olds aren't going to call the Municipality to say, 'Can we go to down and. throw a ball around,"' said Mayor Mutton. "No one's going to be chased off and they don't need to pay for a permit" in that situation. Park use by youths, who aren't so worried about maintenance issues, should be encouraged, said Local Councillor Don MacArthur. "When a bunch of kids get together, if the grass happens to be six inches long ... fine, (they'll) just spend a little extra time to look for balls in the outfield," outfield," he said. "We need to encourage kids to use the parks and use them as often as possible." jd -v Mw-- * >•- - V.*, ,.»Sr */t ft , St? v.Y t .3 ■-/ ,) . v A . * V V; toss' • ,.>4 Lti '1 h -• ÎS I, =»■ v ,,! . ' 4 A ■'f, i Darrin lost 48 pounds and 63 inchesl • one-on-one support • all-natural products • grocery store food Bowmanville Oshawa I Bowmanville Mall 1330 Ritson Rd. N 243 King St. E 905.432.6999 905.697.9484 Oshawa II Oshawa III 1345 King St. E 1076 Cedar St. 905.725.4146 905.438.8446 , Port Perry South Gate Mall 14500 Simcoe SI. L.. 1 V • ■ m■ «k '{■ "&. jeu ' a V. ï - "• 905.985.1084 | CALL 310-THIN (8446) J www.herbalmagic.co î ' 1 ' m Si s (ewcastue SÊSQU1CENTENNIAL COSTUME CONTEST Saturday, July 1st Open to people of all ages. Register at the Village Card and Gift Shoppe betwden 11a.m. and 12 noon on July 1st, 2006. Costume must be worn during the day from noon until the time of judging. 1st prize: 12 night Exploration Odyssey for two from Resolute to Iqualuit and includes 3 stops in Greenland. Prize does not include airfare. Newcastle ( #§£ SESQUICENTENNIAL^ Gala Dinner Sunday, July 2nd $50 per person Sponsored by the Newcastle & District Chamber of Commerce SESQUICENTENNIAL rjm www.newcastlel 50.com Proudly Sponsored by Clariagton lauUnt Ihi Him'--' 4 a 1 1 7 !1 fi H l fi .... 3 4 1 Ï 9 7 3 7 - 1 (i i 7 6 I 4 Ü 1 !) 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