Heating costs on the rise, despite mild Maritime forecast
Posted Nov 18, 2011 04:44:27 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
As homeowners across most of Canada grapple with colder than normal temperatures this winter, and subsequently higher heating cost, Maritimers could be in for a break.
“Specifically for the Maritimes, it looks like it’s going to be milder than normal for the next two or three months and it’s actually going to be wetter than normal as well. So it’s going to be a wet, mild winter,” said News 95.7 meteorologist Richard Zurawski.
Environment Canada’s senior climatologist, Dave Phillips, is warning that winter will be colder than usual in most of Canada.
The National Energy Board said if there is a higher demand for natural gas, home heating fuel, and electricity it will put upward pressure on the prices of those commodities.
The board predicts the average price of heating oil will rise slightly this winter to between $1 and $1.20 a litre. Electricity prices will be slightly higher than average, but natural gas prices will be about the same as last year.
“I guess if you’re looking at heating costs it’s not going to be a bad winter at all,” said Zurawski. “We’re going to be getting the warm water off the coast and La Nina which traditionally gives up a milder winter.”
He said while temperatures in winter are usually well below zero, this year in the Maritimes temperatures will be higher and will experience a freeze-thaw cycle.
